What is the China country code?
Everything you need to dial a China number correctly from a UK phone.
+86
The China country code is +86. Dialling from the UK? Use 0086 instead of the + — they do exactly the same thing.
How to dial a China number from the UK
Dial 0086 + area code + local number for landlines, dropping the leading zero. Mobiles: 0086 + the full 11-digit number.
Example: Beijing: 0086 10 + 8-digit number. Shanghai: 0086 21 + 8-digit number.
00 or +? Either works
Typing +86 (hold the 0 key on most phone keypads to get a +) is the international standard and works automatically wherever you're calling from. 0086 is the UK's own way of dialling out internationally — both reach exactly the same number.
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We compare WhatsApp, Rebtel and eSIM options honestly — not just the dialling code.
See calling options →Common questions
What is the China country code?
The China country code is +86. When dialling from a UK phone, replace the + with 0086 instead.
Do I dial 00 or + to call China from the UK?
Either works on most modern phones — typing "+" (hold 0 on most keypads) and the country code is the international standard and works automatically. The 00 prefix is the UK-specific way of dialling out internationally and does exactly the same thing.
Does this work for mobiles as well as landlines?
Dial 0086 + area code + local number for landlines, dropping the leading zero. Mobiles: 0086 + the full 11-digit number.
Is there a free way to call China that doesn't need a dialling code at all?
Yes — WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar apps call over data instead of the phone network, so there's no country code to dial at all. They're free if the person you're calling also has internet, but aren't a substitute for reaching a landline or someone without a smartphone.
