What is the country code for China?

China's country code is +86. Dial this after New Zealand's exit code (00) or after the + symbol on a mobile phone to route your call to mainland China.

What is New Zealand's international dialing prefix?

New Zealand's international call prefix (exit code) is 00. On a mobile phone, you can simply use the + symbol instead, which works universally.

How do I call a Chinese mobile number from New Zealand?

Dial 00 86 followed by the full 11-digit mobile number (which starts with 1). For example: 00 86 138 XXXX XXXX. On a mobile phone, use +86 138 XXXX XXXX.

How do I call a Chinese landline from New Zealand?

Dial 00 86, then the area code (without the leading 0), then the local number. For example, to call a Beijing landline: 00 86 10 XXXX XXXX.

What is the time difference between New Zealand and China?

New Zealand is 4 hours ahead of China during NZST (April–September) and 5 hours ahead during NZDT (late September–early April). China uses a single time zone, UTC+8, year-round.

How much does it cost to call China from New Zealand with Sayfone?

Sayfone offers calls to China at $0.08 per minute with no connection fees or hidden charges. You can call directly from your browser — no app download required.

Can I call China from my browser without installing an app?

Yes. Sayfone lets you call China directly from your web browser on any device. Just open sayfone.com, enter the Chinese number, and connect — no downloads or plugins needed.

Do I need to dial an area code for Chinese mobile numbers?

No. Chinese mobile numbers are 11 digits and do not use area codes. Simply dial +86 followed by the full 11-digit mobile number.

Quick Answer

How to Call China from New Zealand

Dial 00 + 86 + area code + local number for landlines, or 00 + 86 + mobile number (11 digits starting with 1). From a mobile phone, use +86 instead of 00 86. Sayfone offers calls to China at $0.08/min.

Call China Now

Cost tools

🇳🇿From New Zealand

To China🇨🇳

$0.08

Per minute

+86

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.08/min

Mobile rate

$0.08/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

Whether you're a Chinese student staying connected with family back home, a New Zealand exporter coordinating with partners in Shanghai, or a traveller making arrangements — calling China from NZ is straightforward once you know the format.

Steps at a glance

Dial 00 (New Zealand's exit code) or use + on a mobile
Dial 86 (China's country code)
For landlines: dial the area code (drop leading 0) + local number
For mobiles: dial the full 11-digit number (starts with 1)

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in China — Wikipedia
Country code +86, mobile and landline formats
2
List of dialling codes in New Zealand — Wikipedia
NZ international call prefix 00

DIALING GUIDE

Step-by-Step: How to Dial China from New Zealand

Follow these steps to place a call from New Zealand to any landline or mobile phone in mainland China.

1
Dial New Zealand's exit code
From a landline, dial 00 to signal an international call. From a mobile phone, you can press and hold the 0 key or use the + symbol, which replaces the exit code automatically.
```
00 or +
```
2
Dial China's country code
Enter 86, which is the international country calling code for mainland China. Note that Hong Kong (+852) and Macau (+853) use separate codes.
```
00 86 or +86
```
3
Dial the area code (landlines only)
For landline numbers, enter the city area code without the leading 0 that is used domestically in China. Major area codes include Beijing (10), Shanghai (21), Guangzhou (20), and Shenzhen (755).
```
00 86 10 (for Beijing) or +86 21 (for Shanghai)
```
4
Dial the local phone number
For landlines, enter the 7 or 8 digit local number after the area code. For mobile numbers, skip the area code entirely and dial the full 11-digit mobile number (which always starts with 1).
```
Landline: 00 86 10 XXXX XXXX — Mobile: 00 86 1XX XXXX XXXX
```
Press call
Review the complete number, confirm the format, and press call. With Sayfone, calls to China are just $0.08/min — no hidden fees.

Dialing format reference

+86

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +86.

Mobile

+86 1XX XXXX XXXX (11-digit number starting with 1)

Landline

+86 [area code] [local number] (area code 2–4 digits, local number 7–8 digits)

+86 10 XXXX XXXX (Beijing landline)
+86 21 XXXX XXXX (Shanghai landline)
+86 20 XXXX XXXX (Guangzhou landline)
+86 755 XXXX XXXX (Shenzhen landline)
+86 138 XXXX XXXX (Mobile)

Major city area codes

Beijing10

Shanghai21

Guangzhou20

Shenzhen755

Chengdu28

Wuhan27

Hangzhou571

Xi'an29

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in China — Wikipedia
Mobile and landline number formats
2
Beijing Government — How to make international calls
China area codes and dialing instructions
3
List of dialling codes in New Zealand — Wikipedia
NZ exit code 00

IMPORTANT DETAILS

Dialing Rules and Tips for Calling China

Keep these rules in mind to ensure your call connects on the first try.

Drop the leading 0 from area codes

When dialing from overseas, omit the 0 prefix used for domestic long-distance calls within China. For example, Beijing's domestic code is 010 — internationally you dial just 10 after +86.

Mobile numbers don't need an area code

Chinese mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 1 (e.g. 13X, 15X, 18X). Dial the full 11 digits after +86 — no area code required.

Hong Kong and Macau use different codes

If you're calling Hong Kong, dial +852 (not +86). For Macau, use +853. These regions have their own separate calling codes and numbering plans.

Use + on your mobile phone

On any mobile phone in New Zealand, press and hold 0 or use the + symbol to replace the 00 exit code. The + is universally recognised and simplifies international dialing.

China uses a single time zone

All of mainland China operates on China Standard Time (UTC+8), regardless of geographic location. This makes scheduling calls straightforward once you know the offset from NZ time.

TIMING TIPS

Best Times to Call China from New Zealand

New Zealand is 4 hours ahead of China during NZST (April–September) and 5 hours ahead during NZDT (September–April). Plan your calls around these overlaps for the best chance of reaching someone.

🇨🇳

China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8) does not observe daylight saving, so the offset shifts when New Zealand's clocks change.

Time & windows

Morning Call (NZ Time)

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM NZST

4:00 AM – 6:00 AM in China — very early, only for urgent calls

Midday Sweet Spot

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM NZST

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM in China — ideal for business and personal calls

Evening Window

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM NZST

2:00 PM – 6:00 PM in China — afternoon hours, good for reaching family

🇳🇿NZ morning → China pre-dawn

6 AM – 10 AM NZST → 2 AM – 6 AM CSTAvoid unless urgent

🇳🇿NZ early afternoon → China morning

12 PM – 3 PM NZST → 8 AM – 11 AM CSTBest for business calls

🇳🇿NZ late afternoon → China midday

3 PM – 6 PM NZST → 11 AM – 2 PM CSTGreat overlap window

🇳🇿NZ evening → China afternoon

6 PM – 10 PM NZST → 2 PM – 6 PM CSTGood for personal calls

Calling tips

During NZDT (late September to early April), New Zealand is 5 hours ahead of China — adjust your schedule by one hour.
Chinese public holidays (e.g. Chinese New Year, National Day Golden Week) may affect business availability but are peak times for personal calls.
Weekday afternoons in NZ (1–5 PM NZST) overlap with Chinese business hours (9 AM–1 PM CST) — ideal for trade-related calls.
Save the number in +86 format in your contacts so it dials correctly from anywhere.

Business etiquette

Greet with 'nǐ hǎo' (你好) to make a positive first impression.
Business calls in China are generally more formal — state your name and purpose clearly at the start.
Avoid calling during lunch (12–1 PM CST) as many businesses close briefly.
Follow up important phone conversations with a written message (email or WeChat) to confirm details.

Sources

1
Time Zone Converter — timeanddate.com
Wellington vs Shanghai time difference

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues When Calling China from New Zealand

If your call to China isn't connecting, check these common causes before trying again.

Forgot to drop the leading 0

Chinese area codes start with 0 for domestic calls (e.g. 010 for Beijing). When dialing internationally, remove this leading 0 and dial just the area code (e.g. 10).

Wrong number of digits

Chinese mobile numbers are exactly 11 digits (starting with 1). Landline numbers including the area code total 10–12 digits. If your number doesn't match these lengths, double-check with the recipient.

Dialing Hong Kong or Macau with +86

Hong Kong uses country code +852 and Macau uses +853. These are not part of China's +86 numbering plan. If your contact is in either region, use the correct code.

Call not connecting or dropping

International routing can occasionally cause connection issues. Try the call again after a few minutes. If the problem persists, check that international calling is enabled on your NZ plan, or use a browser-based calling service like Sayfone for a reliable connection.

Hearing a Chinese-language recording

If you hear a recorded message in Mandarin, the number may be incorrect, disconnected, or out of service. Common recordings indicate the number does not exist or the line is busy. Verify the number and try again.

Sources

1
Telephone numbers in China — Wikipedia
Number format details

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to China. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to China — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.