Telephone numbers in China
Telephone numbers in China are organized according to the Chinese Telephone Code Plan. The numerical formats of landlines and mobile phones are different: landlines have area-codes, whereas mobile phones do not. In major cities, landline-numbers consist of a two-digit area code followed by an eight-digit inner-number. In other places, landline-numbers consist of a three-digit area code followed by a seven- or eight-digit inner-number. The numbers of mobile phones consist of eleven digits.
When one landline is used to dial another landline within the same area, it is not necessary to specify the area-code. Between different areas, the target-number must be prepended with the trunk-prefix, which is 0.
Calling a mobile phone from a land line requires the addition of the "0" in front of the mobile phone number if they are not in the same area as well. Mobile to land line calls require the "0" and the area code, if the land line is not within the same area. Mobile to mobile calls do not require the "0". The "0" is not dialled from outside mainland China.
The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are not part of this numbering plan, and use the country codes +852 and +853, respectively.
In addition, the PRC numbering plan once reserved space for Taiwan, but have dropped this practice.
Mobile phones
In mainland China, mobile phone numbers have 11 digits in the format 1xx-xxxx-xxxx, in which the first three digits designate the mobile phone service provider.Before GSM, mobile phones had 6-digit numbers starting with 9, and had the same numbering format with fixed-line telephones. Those numbers were eventually translated into 1390xx9xxx, where xx were local identifiers.
The oldest China Mobile GSM numbers were 10-digit long, and started with 139 in 1994, the second oldest 138 in 1997 and 137, 136, 135 in 1999. The oldest China Unicom numbers started with 130 in 1995, the second oldest 131 in 1998. Keeping the same number over time is somewhat associated with stability and reliability of the owner. The 5th to 7th digit sometimes relates to age and location.
As the 4th digit was introduced in July 22, 1999, China's mobile phone numbers upgraded from 10-digit to 11-digit, with 0 added after 13x, and thus HLR code became 4-digit long, to expand the capacity of the seriously fully crowded numbering plan.
In 2006, 15x numbers were introduced. In late 2008, 18x and 14x were introduced. In late 2013, 17x were introduced. In 2017, 16x and 19x were introduced.
In December 2016, each cell phone number is required to be consigned to a real name in mainland China.
Mobile service providers can be identified by the first three or four digits as follows:
| Prefix | Provider | Network |
| 130-132 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 133 | China Telecom1 | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 134 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 1349 | Chinasat | Satellite |
| 135-139 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 140 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 141 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 144 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 145 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA |
| 146 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 147 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA |
| 148 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 149 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 150/1/2/7/8/9 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 153 | China Telecom1 | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 155/6 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 162 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 165 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 166 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 167 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 170 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 170 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 170 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 171 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 172/8 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 173/7 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 174 | Chinasat | Satellite |
| 1749 | Inmarsat2 | Satellite |
| 175/6 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 180/1/9 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 182/3/4/7/8 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 185/6 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 190/1/3/9 | China Telecom | LTE/CDMA2000/cdmaOne |
| 192 | China Broadcasting Network | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
| 195/7/8 | China Mobile | LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM |
| 196 | China Unicom | LTE/WCDMA/GSM |
1 - China Unicom before 2009
2 - Operated by China Transport Telecommunication & Information Center
Calling formats
To call in China, the following format is used:- For fixed phones:
0yyy xxx xxxx | 0yyy xxxx xxxx Calls from other areas within China
+86 yyy xxx xxxx | +86 yyy xxxx xxxx Calls from outside China
- For mobile phones:
+86 1nn xxxx xxxx Calls to mobiles from outside China
Area 1 - Capital Operation Center
The prefix 1 is used exclusively by the national capital, Beijing Municipality.- Beijing – 10
Area 2 - Country Communication System Operating Center
All telephone numbers are 8-digit in these areas.
- Guangzhou - 20
- Shanghai – 21
- Tianjin – 22
- Chongqing – 23
- Shenyang, Tieling, Fushun, Benxi – 24
- Nanjing – 25
- Proposed use: Taipei – 26
- Wuhan – 27
- Chengdu, Meishan, Ziyang – 28
- Xi'an, Xianyang – 29
Area 3 - Northern China Operation Center
Hebei - 31x 33x
- Shijiazhuang – 311
- Baoding – 312
- Zhangjiakou – 313
- Chengde – 314
- Tangshan – 315
- Langfang – 316
- Cangzhou – 317
- Hengshui – 318
- Xingtai – 319
- Handan – 310
- Qinhuangdao – 335
Shanxi (山西) - 34x 35x
- Taiyuan – 351
- Datong – 352
- Yangquan – 353
- Jinzhong – 354
- Changzhi – 355
- Jincheng – 356
- Linfen – 357
- Lüliang – 358
- Yuncheng – 359
- Xinzhou – 350
- Shuozhou – 349
Henan - 37x 39x
- Zhengzhou – 371
- Kaifeng – 371
- Anyang – 372
- Xinxiang – 373
- Xuchang – 374
- Pingdingshan – 375
- Xinyang – 376
- Nanyang – 377
- Luoyang – 379
- Shangqiu – 370
- Jiaozuo – 391
- Hebi – 392
- Puyang – 393
- Zhoukou – 394
- Luohe – 395
- Zhumadian – 396
- Xinyang (Former
- Sanmenxia – 398
Area 4 - Northeastern China Operation Center
Liaoning - 41x 42x
The provincial capital, Shenyang, and Tieling, Fushun, Benxi, uses code 24.- Dalian – 411
- Anshan – 412
- Dandong – 415
- Jinzhou – 416
- Yingkou – 417
- Fuxin – 418
- Liaoyang – 419
- Chaoyang – 421
- Panjin – 427
- Huludao – 429
Jilin - 43x 44x
- Changchun – 431
- Jilin – 432
- Yanji – 433
- Siping – 434
- Tonghua – 435
- Baicheng – 436
- Liaoyuan – 437
- Songyuan – 438
- Baishan – 439
Heilongjiang - 45x 46x
- Harbin – 451
- Qiqihar – 452
- Mudanjiang – 453
- Jiamusi – 454
- Suihua – 455
- Heihe – 456
- Daxing'anling – 457
- Yichun – 458
- Daqing – 459
- Qitaihe – 464
- Jixi – 467
- Hegang – 468
- Shuangyashan – 469
Inner Mongolia - 47x 48x
- Hohhot – 471
- Baotou – 472
- Wuhai – 473
- Jining – 474
- Tongliao – 475
- Chifeng – 476
- Dongsheng – 477
- Linhe – 478
- Xilinhot – 479
- Hulunbuir – 470
- Ulanhot – 482
- Alxa – 483
Area 5 - Eastern China Operating Center
Jiangsu - 51x 52x
The provincial capital of Nanjing uses code 25. All telephone numbers are 8-digit in Jiangsu.- Zhenjiang – 511
- Suzhou – 512
- Nantong – 513
- Yangzhou – 514
- Yancheng – 515
- Xuzhou – 516
- Huai'an – 517
- Lianyungang – 518
- Changzhou – 519
- Wuxi – 510
- Taizhou – 523
- Suqian – 527
Shandong – [|53x 54x]
- Ji'nan – 531
- Qingdao – 532
- Zibo – 533
- Dezhou – 534
- Yantai – 535
- Weifang – 536
- Jining – 537
- Tai'an – 538
- Linyi – 539
- Heze – 530
- Binzhou – 543
- Dongying – 546
- Weihai – 631
- Zaozhuang – 632
- Rizhao – 633
- Liaocheng – 635.
Anhui - 55x 56x
- Hefei – 551
- Bengbu – 552
- Wuhu – 553
- Huainan – 554
- Ma'anshan – 555
- Anqing – 556
- Suzhou – 557
- Fuyang, Bozhou – 558
- Huangshan – 559
- Chuzhou – 550
- Huaibei – 561
- Tongling – 562
- Xuancheng – 563
- Lu'an – 564
- Chizhou – 566
Zhejiang - 57x 58x
- Hangzhou – 571
- Huzhou – 572
- Jiaxing – 573
- Ningbo – 574
- Shaoxing – 575
- Taizhou – 576
- Wenzhou – 577
- Lishui – 578
- Jinhua – 579
- Quzhou – 570
- Zhoushan – 580
Fujian - 59x 50x
- Fuzhou – 591
- Xiamen – 592
- Ningde – 593
- Putian – 594
- Quanzhou – 595
- Zhangzhou – 596
- Longyan – 597
- Sanming – 598
- Nanping – 599
Area 6 - Supplement for Shandong(63x), Guangdong(66x), Yunnan(69x)
All area codes with prefix 6 were assigned in recent years. This prefix previously was reserved for Taiwan, which is now assigned.Shandong – [|63x]
While most areas in Shandong use the prefix 53x 54x, some areas also use the prefix 6.- Weihai – 631
- Zaozhuang – 632
- Rizhao – 633
- Liaocheng – 635
Guangdong – [|66x]
- Yangjiang – 662
- Jieyang – 663
- Maoming – 668
- Shanwei – 660
Yunnan – [|69x]
- Jinghong – 691
- Dehong – 692
Area 7 - Central-Southern China Operating Center
Hubei - 71x 72x
The provincial capital of Wuhan uses code 27.- Ezhou – 711
- Xiaogan – 712
- Huanggang – 713
- Huangshi – 714
- Xianning – 715
- Jingzhou – 716
- Yichang – 717
- Enshi – 718
- Shiyan – 719
- Xiangfan – 710
- Suizhou – 722
- Jingmen – 724
- Xiantao, Tianmen, Qianjiang –728
Hunan - 73x 74x
- Changsha – 731
- Xiangtan – 731
- Zhuzhou – 731
- Hengyang – 734
- Chenzhou – 735
- Changde – 736
- Yiyang – 737
- Loudi – 738
- Shaoyang – 739
- Yueyang – 730
- Jishou – 743
- Zhangjiajie – 744
- Huaihua – 745
- Yongzhou – 746
Guangdong – 75x 76x
- Shaoguan – 751
- Huizhou – 752
- Meizhou – 753
- Shantou – 754
- Shenzhen – 755
- Zhuhai – 756
- Foshan – 757
- Zhaoqing – 758
- Zhanjiang – 759
- Jiangmen – 750
- Zhongshan – 760
- Heyuan – 762
- Qingyuan – 763
- Yunfu – 766
- Chaozhou – 768
- Dongguan – 769
- Yangjiang – 662
- Jieyang – 663
- Maoming – 668
- Shanwei – 660.
Guangxi - 77x 78x
- Nanning – 771
- Liuzhou – 772
- Guilin – 773
- Wuzhou – 774
- Yulin – 775
- Baise – 776
- Qinzhou – 777
- Hechi – 778
- Beihai – 779
- Fangchenggang – 770
Jiangxi - 79x 70x
- Nanchang – 791
- Jiujiang – 792
- Shangrao – 793
- Fuzhou, Jiangxi – 794
- Yichun – 795
- Ji'an – 796
- Ganzhou – 797
- Jingdezhen – 798
- Pingxiang – 799
- Xinyu – 790
- Yingtan – 701
Area 8 -Southwestern China Operating Center
Sichuan - 81x 82x 83x
The provincial capital of Chengdu, and Meishan, Ziyang uses code 28.- Panzhihua – 812
- Zigong – 813
- Mianyang – 816
- Nanchong – 817
- Dazhou – 818
- Suining – 825
- Guang'an – 826
- Bazhong – 827
- Luzhou – 830
- Yibin – 831
- Neijiang – 832
- Leshan – 833
- Xichang – 834
- Ya'an – 835
- Kangding – 836
- Ngawa – 837
- Deyang – 838
- Guangyuan – 839
Guizhou - 85x 86x
- Guiyang, Zunyi, Anshun – 851
- Duyun – 854
- Kaili – 855
- Tongren – 856
- Bijie – 857
- Liupanshui – 858
- Xingyi – 859
Yunnan – 87x 88x
- Kunming – 871
- Dali – 872
- Gejiu – 873
- Qujing – 874
- Baoshan – 875
- Wenshan – 876
- Yuxi – 877
- Chuxiong – 878
- Simao – 879
- * 879 is also the de facto dial code for the military regime Wa State in Myanmar
- Zhaotong – 870
- Lincang – 883
- Nujiang – 886
- Zhongdian – 887
- Lijiang – 888
- Jinghong - 691
- Dehong - 692.
Tibet/Xizang - 89(1-7)
- Lhasa – 891
- Shigatse – 892
- Shannan – 893
- Nyingchi – 894
- Qamdo – 895
- Nagqu – 896
- Ngari – 897
Hainan - 898
- Hainan - 898
Area 9 - Northwestern China Operating Center
Shaanxi (陕西) - 91x 92x
The provincial capital Xi'an uses code 29. Xianyang, uses the same code as Xi'an starting from 16 September 2006. Before that, its area code is 918.- Yan'an – 911
- Yulin – 912
- Weinan – 913
- Shangzhou – 914
- Ankang – 915
- Hanzhong – 916
- Baoji – 917
- Tongchuan – 919
Gansu - 93x 94x
- Lanzhou – 931
- Dingxi – 932
- Pingliang – 933
- Xifeng – 934
- Wuwei – 935
- Zhangye – 936
- Jiuquan – 937
- Tianshui – 938
- Longnan – 939
- Linxia – 930
- Gannan – 941
- Baiyin – 943
Ningxia - 95x 96x
- Yinchuan – 951
- Shizuishan – 952
- Wuzhong – 953
- Guyuan – 954
- Zhongwei – 955
Qinghai - 97x 98x
- Xining – 971
- Haidong – 972
- Tongren – 973
- Gonghe – 974
- Golog – 975
- Yushu – 976
- Haixi – 977
- Golmud – 979
- Haiyan – 970
Xinjiang - 99x 90x
- Ürümqi – 991
- Kuitun – 992
- Shihezi – 993
- Changji – 994
- Turpan – 995
- Korla – 996
- Aksu – 997
- Kashgar – 998
- Yining – 999
- Karamay – 990
- Tacheng – 901
- Kumul – 902
- Hotan – 903
- Altay – 906
- Artux – 908
- Bole – 909
Emergency Numbers
- 110 - Police
- 119 - Fire brigade
- 120 - Ambulance
- 122 - Traffic accident
- 999 - Privately operated ambulance
Starting from 2012 in Shenzhen, a system upgrade was put in place to unify three emergency reporting services into one number, 110. This similar system is being installed in more cities in China to make them more convenient.
Dialing 112, 911, and 999 plays a recording message about the correct emergency numbers in Chinese and English twice: "For police, dial 110. To report a fire, dial 119. For ambulance, dial 120. To report a traffic accident, dial 122." on China Mobile and China Unicom phones, NO SERVICES will be redirected. On China Telecom phones, error messages "Number does not exist" will be played, NO SERVICES will be redirected.
Others
From within Mainland China, the following special numbers are used:- 100xx - Telecommunications Customer Service
- 101xx and 116xxx - Premium service of China Unicom
- 1010 xxxx - Special number by China Unicom
- 11185 - Post
- 114 - Directory assistance
- 118xxx - Premium service of China Telecom
- 12117 - Speaking clock
- 12121 - Weather
- 12122 - Highway service
- 123xx - Government service
- 124x - Carrier Identification Code
- 125xx - Premium service of China Mobile
- 160xxxxx, 168xxxxx - Telephone information service
- 179xx + target number followed - VoIP
- 200, 201 - IC telephone service
- 400 xxx xxxx, 800 xxx xxxx - business numbers
- 95xxx, 95xxxx, 95105xxx- Service number
- 955xx - Bank, Insurance, Airlines service hotline,
- 96xxx, 96xxxx - Service number
International Access Code
| Place | Prefix |
| 00 CountryCode AreaCode SubscriberCode | |
| Taiwan | 00 886 xxx xxx xxx |
| Hong Kong | 00 852 xxxx xxxx |
| Macau | 00 853 xxxx xxxx |
| NANP | 00 1 xxx xxx xxxx |
| UK | 00 44 xxxxxxxxxx |
| Japan | 00 81 xxxxxxxxx |