In China: a local physical SIM is the better choice — passport/ID registration is required to buy a local SIM.
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A local physical SIM is the better choice for China. Mainland China requires passport registration for local SIMs at a carrier store, and standard international eSIMs often can't reach apps like WhatsApp or Google due to the Great Firewall — look for a China-specific VPN-friendly eSIM or a local physical SIM.
Yes — China requires passport or ID registration to activate a local physical SIM.
Buy your physical SIM at the airport arrivals hall in China — most major carriers have a kiosk right past immigration, and staff can handle the registration paperwork for you.
Only if you're fine paying your home carrier's international roaming rates — check your plan first, since those can add up fast compared to a local SIM or eSIM.
Airport SIM booths and roaming plans are the expensive way to get online. A Saily eSIM (by the team behind NordVPN) installs on your phone before you fly, activates automatically when you land in China, and gives you prepaid data at local prices in 190+ countries — no physical SIM, no contract, no surprise bill.
See Saily data plans for China →Disclosure: if you buy through this link, TravelSmarter may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It keeps our tools free.