Western platforms are filtered inside China, and eSIM roaming behaves differently from a local SIM. Compare the options and the known fixes for connectivity problems below.
Mainland networks block Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and most Western news sites. Two legal workarounds exist for travelers: a VPN installed before arrival, or an international-roaming eSIM that routes around the firewall entirely.
Hotel Wi-Fi is fast but filtered like everything else; eSIM users keep unrestricted access at local speeds. The guides below compare current VPN reliability, eSIM providers and pricing, and the hotel-Wi-Fi quirks worth knowing.