SMS destination

China

Dialing code +86 · Asia. Everything you need to send compliant SMS to China with the Bird SMS API.

Policy last updated July 13, 2026

What you can send

SMS

Two-way messaging

Not available

Before you send

Alphanumeric sender IDs must be registered for China before traffic can deliver. The lead time is listed with the sender types below. File once from the dashboard and track approval through the API.

How sender-ID registration works →

Sender types

Every way you can originate a message to this country, with how each is cleared for use and how long that takes. Listed best route first.

Sender	Activation	Setup time	Notes
Alphanumeric Sender ID	Sender ID registration	~14 business days	One-way only.

Rules & regulations

What local regulators expect before you send, as the destination's own policy record states it.

Template approvalRequired

Quiet hoursApply

Custom alphanumeric Sender IDs are not supported in this country. Senders will automatically be replaced with a random numeric code starting with 106.

All message content must include a registered 【Signature】 at the beginning of the message. Messages without a registered signature will fail to deliver.
- Pure English signatures are not supported.
- Only companies with a local business license can register a signature.
All templates must be whitelisted before sending, particularly those containing contact information or URLs.
- Each template may contain a maximum of 2 fixed contact details and 1 URL.
- Contact information and URLs cannot be included in OTP messages.
- Top-level and second-level domains must be fixed values (not variables) and must match the registered signature.

One API

How sending works

You send to every destination through the same endpoint and the same keys. Bird picks a compliant route for the country, applies opt-out handling on every message, and reports delivery from carrier receipts. The country-specific part is which sender you register. The API call does not change.

Sending to China, answered

What senders ask before their first message to China.

Do I need to register a sender before sending SMS to China?

Yes. Every sender here must be registered before it can send: an alphanumeric sender ID. For an alphanumeric sender ID the name itself is registered, so recipients see exactly the name that was approved.

Can I use an alphanumeric sender ID in China?

Yes, once the sender ID has been registered.

How long does sender registration take in China?

Registering an alphanumeric sender ID takes about 14 business days.

Can I receive replies from China?

No. You can send messages here but not receive replies.

Are there quiet hours for SMS in China?

Yes. Local rules limit the hours in which you can send.

What other channels can Bird reach China on?

WhatsApp and Voice, from the same account and API.

The rest of the SMS platform

One API, one set of keys. Explore the other capabilities.

Sender-ID registrationPre-register alphanumeric and dedicated senders where countries require it.Routing190+ countries, 240 direct-to-carrier links, and automatic failover.NumbersLong codes, short codes, toll-free, and alphanumeric sender IDs.SendingThe send API: segments, Unicode safety, batch, and idempotency.Two-wayInbound SMS and conversational replies as HMAC-signed webhooks.All destinationsCoverage, sender types, and rules for every country Bird reaches.

Put it into practice.

Continue with the documentation, guides and examples for this topic. Resources are in English.

Implementation guideSMS overview Explore the capabilitySMS destinations

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Start sending to China

Create a workspace, register a sender, and send your first message from the same API you will scale on.

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