{
  "id": "legal/china-vpn-crackdown",
  "signature": "AI tells a traveler or business in mainland China that any VPN is fine and that Google/Gmail/WhatsApp will work normally",
  "signature_zh": "AI告诉前往中国内地的旅客或企业，任何VPN都可以正常工作，谷歌/Gmail/WhatsApp也能正常使用",
  "regex": "(VPN|Google|Gmail|WhatsApp|Facebook|Twitter|YouTube).*(China|mainland China|work normally|fine)",
  "domain": "legal",
  "category": "regulatory_barrier",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "China's Great Firewall actively blocks unauthorized VPNs under the 2017 Cybersecurity Law and 2021 regulations; only government-approved VPNs (e.g., for multinational corporations with a license) are legal; personal use of unapproved VPNs can result in fines, confiscation of devices, or detention; Google services, Gmail, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are blocked and may not work even with a VPN due to deep packet inspection (DPI).",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "根据2017年《网络安全法》和2021年法规，中国的防火长城积极封锁未经授权的VPN；只有政府批准的VPN（例如持有许可证的跨国公司）是合法的；个人使用未经批准的VPN可能导致罚款、设备没收或拘留；谷歌服务、Gmail、WhatsApp、Facebook、Twitter和YouTube被屏蔽，即使使用VPN也可能因深度包检测（DPI）而无法工作。",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "Cybersecurity Law of PRC 2017",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    },
    {
      "version": "2021 VPN regulations",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    },
    {
      "version": "GFW DPI v2023",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    },
    {
      "version": "ExpressVPN China protocol v5.2",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "",
      "why_fails": "Assuming that paid VPN services like ExpressVPN or NordVPN are immune to GFW blocking",
      "fail_rate": 0.6,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    },
    {
      "action": "",
      "why_fails": "Believing that using a VPN for 'work purposes' only exempts from penalties",
      "fail_rate": 0.55,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    },
    {
      "action": "",
      "why_fails": "Thinking that hotel WiFi or business VPNs are not subject to inspection",
      "fail_rate": 0.5,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Before travel, install a reputable VPN (e.g., Astrill, V2Ray, Shadowsocks) with obfuscation features; test it before entering China. Expect connection drops; use multiple protocols (e.g., OpenVPN + WireGuard) and have a backup. For short trips, consider using a pre-configured travel router with VPN built-in.",
      "success_rate": 0.75,
      "how": "Before travel, install a reputable VPN (e.g., Astrill, V2Ray, Shadowsocks) with obfuscation features; test it before entering China. Expect connection drops; use multiple protocols (e.g., OpenVPN + WireGuard) and have a backup. For short trips, consider using a pre-configured travel router with VPN built-in.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    },
    {
      "action": "For business communications, use WeChat Work or DingTalk for messaging; access email via Outlook.com or QQ Mail, which are more reliable than Gmail. Download offline maps (Google Maps offline or Baidu Maps) before arrival.",
      "success_rate": 0.85,
      "how": "For business communications, use WeChat Work or DingTalk for messaging; access email via Outlook.com or QQ Mail, which are more reliable than Gmail. Download offline maps (Google Maps offline or Baidu Maps) before arrival.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    },
    {
      "action": "If VPN fails completely, use a local SIM card (China Mobile, Unicom, Telecom) with a data plan; some VPNs work better on mobile networks. Alternatively, use a foreign SIM with roaming (e.g., from Hong Kong) that may bypass some blocks.",
      "success_rate": 0.65,
      "how": "If VPN fails completely, use a local SIM card (China Mobile, Unicom, Telecom) with a data plan; some VPNs work better on mobile networks. Alternatively, use a foreign SIM with roaming (e.g., from Hong Kong) that may bypass some blocks.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [
    "旅行前，安装具有混淆功能的可靠VPN（如Astrill、V2Ray、Shadowsocks）；进入中国前测试。预计连接会中断；使用多种协议（如OpenVPN + WireGuard）并准备备用方案。短期旅行考虑使用预配置的VPN旅行路由器。",
    "商务通信使用微信工作版或钉钉；通过Outlook.com或QQ邮箱访问电子邮件，这些比Gmail更可靠。到达前下载离线地图（Google Maps离线版或百度地图）。",
    "如果VPN完全失效，使用本地SIM卡（中国移动、联通、电信）的数据套餐；某些VPN在移动网络上效果更好。或者使用带漫游的外国SIM卡（例如来自香港的），可能绕过部分封锁。"
  ],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": "https://www.chinalawtranslate.com/cybersecurity-law-2017/",
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": "CHN-VPN-001",
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.9,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.75,
  "resolvable": "partial",
  "first_seen": "2023-04-20",
  "last_confirmed": "2024-06-01",
  "last_updated": "2024-06-01",
  "evidence_count": 1,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": []
}