Time now in China

UTC+08:00 • Asia/Shanghai (CST)

Your device clock is 469ms ahead of the detected local time (Asia/Shanghai, UTC+08:00). Time reference obtained from NIST NTP servers with an accuracy of ±0.022 seconds.

18:29:39
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, week 12

Time in China now

China has several official time zones. The most used is CST (UTC+08:00). The country currently uses times ranging from UTC+6:00 to UTC+8:00, depending on the region.

Part of the territory observes daylight saving time (DST), which moves the clock forward one hour during part of the year.

China has a territory that spans several time zones; the country therefore uses multiple time zones.

What is the time zone in China?

Official time in China is defined by one or more time zones (IANA zones). Below are the zones and their UTC offsets.

Main time zones in China

Time zone Offset (UTC) Main cities
Asia/Shanghai UTC+08:00 Chengdu, Sichuan, Beijing, Guangzhou, Guangdong
Asia/Urumqi UTC+06:00 Ürümqi, Xinjiang, Shihezi, Xinjiang, Korla, Xinjiang

List of time zones used in China (IANA zones)

Zone Offset (UTC) Daylight saving
Asia/Shanghai UTC+08:00 Yes
Asia/Urumqi UTC+06:00 No

Time difference between Columbus, Ohio, United States and China

The time difference between Columbus, Ohio, United States and China depends on the region.

  • Chengdu, Sichuan: 12 hour(s) behind the time in Columbus, Ohio, United States
  • Ãœrümqi, Xinjiang: 10 hour(s) behind the time in Columbus, Ohio, United States

Does China use daylight saving time?

Yes. Part of China observes daylight saving time (DST). Start and end dates vary by zone.

Recent time changes in China

  • 1991-09-15 at 01:00 (local time) – return to standard time

The last time change in China was on 1991-09-15 at 01:00 (local time) (zone Asia/Shanghai): clocks went back (fall, back to standard) — transition from CDT to CST.

Frequently asked questions

What time is it in China?
The country has several time zones. The current time depends on the region and varies between UTC+6:00 and UTC+8:00. The clock at the top of this page shows the time synchronized with official sources.
How many time zones does China have?
China has 2 main time zone(s). The IANA database lists specific zones used in different regions.
Does China use daylight saving time?
Yes. Most regions of China observe daylight saving time (DST). Clocks are typically set forward in March and back in November.

See also

How to convert China time

To convert China time to other countries:

  1. Identify the time zone of the city or region.
  2. Check whether daylight saving time (DST) is in effect.
  3. Compare with the UTC offset of your country.
Time now in locations in China with links for more information (4133 locations)