THE PURR-FECT ESCAPE: BYPASSING THE GREAT FIREWALL WITH THE BEST VPN FOR CHINA

It’s 2018, and everyone knows that the internet is an unbounded sea of information and connectivity. But imagine going to a place where that sea is cordoned off into invisible paddocks, where human beings have gone to the effort of building an actual wall around it, and all the while trimming, filtering and patrolling its borders. Welcome to China, where the internet is more of a walled garden than anywhere else, one that’s been expertly tended by the ‘Great Firewall’. If you’re going there, or if you’re already living there, chances are you’re about to experience internet censorship as you never have before. And just as there’s a cat-and-mouse game involving VPNs that can leap these fences, the paddocks have a playful name: the Great Firewall of China.

CATERING TO YOUR FREEDOM: WHY A VPN IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND IN CHINA

Chinese Internet use is strongly monitored: access to many foreign websites is blocked or extremely delayed. This is censorship, of a political kind that allows the state to maintain its hold on power – and to limit access to so-called ‘unwelcome’ information. Such strict control comes as a rude shock to anyone who has spent time in the freer digital spaces.

However, like a cat falling from a tree, if you add an extra piece of equipment, a service called a Virtual Private Network (more commonly known as a VPN), you can log on to the internet as if outside China, meaning that the Great Firewall will be unable to see, interfere with or limit your access. You can have proper access to the internet, just like ‘everyone else’. The simple solution isn’t a little barrier – it’s the accomplice to the crime of control. VPNs are tunnels. By going through a VPN, you enter the internet as if outside of China. Access is removed as a restriction.

CHOOSING YOUR DIGITAL COMPANION: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VPN

Security and Anonymity - Cat-like Stealth

Your VPN should offer strong encryption to protect your data from peering eyes. Unseen is safest in a place where watching is the norm: make sure your VPN of choice has a no-logs policy, and make sure it uses secure protocols.

Speed and Reliability - The Agility of a Cat

And because the Great Firewall is liable to slow down cross-border web traffic, you’ll want a VPN service that’s fast and reliable, to ensure you don’t have to deal with irritatingly slow speeds and loss of signal. You’ll certainly need that to support uninterrupted streaming or gaming, or just smooth browsing.

Server Locations - A Cat's Diverse Hunting Grounds

The more servers a VPN operates, and the more countries those servers are in, the better. This allows you to find a way around more geo-blocks, and to find a connection that’s both fast and well-functioning.

THE BEST VPNS FOR CHINA: YOUR DIGITAL LIONS AGAINST THE FIREWALL

However, not every VPN is equally good, and the scene in China is a game of cat-and-mouse. After extensive testing, all of the following VPNs have kept me connected most of the time, if not all the time, in China through to 2024:

• PureVPN: Also a great overall choice with an extensive network of servers and a great privacy policy, as well as one of the easiest ones to use for beating the Great Firewall.
• NordVPN: The strongest service for those who need bulk access in China. Great speeds, advanced security and no DNS leaks.

THE GOLDEN RULES FOR USING A VPN IN CHINA

• Bring Your Own VPN: You should install your VPN before you get to China, since it’s a hassle to actually download and configure a VPN in country.
• Keep It Down: Like clipping your fingernails, it’s allowed, but it’s not an activity you want people to know you’re engaging in.
• You Might Need to Change: Even the best VPN can get blocked, so have a fall-back ready to go if you need to switch.

EXPLORING THE CAT IN THE WORLD OF VPNS

If the cat is a symbol of digital freedom in China, then it’s not just a furry lap companion, but an animal with the agility, stealth and flexibility that the web demands when it’s living under a tyranny of tight controls. And like the cat that always lands on its feet, the reliable VPN – if you find the right one – is always there to help you stay on yours. Whether you’re moving to China in search of endless knick-knacks or visiting on business or vacation, follow the cat’s instincts: choose a strong VPN, and you’ll be free to follow your curiosity wherever it takes you – without needing to lean in submissive, slightly off-balance catbow posture.