If you're expanding your business into China, improving your website's performance is likely on your radar, especially if you're currently hosting outside the region. One commonly suggested solution is VPS (virtual private server) hosting in Hong Kong, given its close proximity to mainland China. But does it really make your website faster and more accessible in China?

TL;DR VPS hosting in Hong Kong can improve website speed in China compared to hosting further away from China and not using a CDN, but it’s not a silver bullet. Hosting does not address code-level incompatibilities or resources that are blocked or perform poorly in China (e.g., Google APIs, YouTube embeds). If you're targeting users in mainland China and want a site that loads fast and fully, Chinafy addresses both infrastructure and code-level challenges – whether you host in Hong Kong, mainland China, or anywhere else in the world.

Let’s break it down.

What is VPS Hosting?

VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting is a hosting solution that uses virtualization technology to provide a dedicated portion of a physical server’s resources to multiple users. Each user gets their own virtual server with allocated resources such as CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth, but they share the same physical hardware. This setup offers more control, security, and performance than shared hosting, while being more cost-effective than dedicated servers.

Let’s cover the key difference between shared hosting and VPS hosting.

VPS Hosting vs Shared Hosting

Shared Hosting: Multiple websites or users share the same physical server and its resources (CPU, RAM, storage, bandwidth). All websites on the server use the same pool of resources, managed by the hosting provider.

VPS Hosting: Virtualization technology divides a physical server into multiple virtual servers. Each VPS has its own allocated resources and operates independently, even though it shares the same physical hardware with other VPS instances.

So which should you choose?

Why use VPS hosting instead of shared hosting?

It’s ultimately down to your business as to whether VPS hosting or shared hosting is more suitable. Here are some reasons why businesses choose VPS hosting:

Greater control: With root or admin access, users have full control to install software, configure settings, and manage their server as needed.

Scalability: Resources can often be scaled up or down based on demand.

Isolated issues: Because each VPS operates independently, issues in one virtual server won’t affect others.

Better security: VPS hosting has better security compared to shared hosting due to resource isolation.

And where does a CDN fit in?

VPS Hosting vs CDN

A CDN (Content Delivery Network) distributes your website’s static content (like images and scripts) across servers worldwide, improving speed by serving content closer to users.

A VPS, on the other hand, affects your core server infrastructure, not content distribution. Ideally, you’d use both for optimal performance – but here’s the catch:

Note: Many international CDN providers don’t include China nodes by default, and using a CDN in China typically requires an ICP license.

Does VPS hosting in Hong Kong make websites faster in China?

Sometimes, but there’s more to it.

There are two categories of issues that affect web performance in China:

Infrastructure-related issues (server location, routing, latency)

Code-based incompatibilities (blocked or slow third-party resources)

VPS hosting in Hong Kong only helps with the first one.

Can hosting in Hong Kong help with web performance in China?

Hong Kong is closer to mainland China than the U.S., Europe, and other locations where global businesses host their site. Hosting closer to the end user can improve loading speeds but doesn’t address the China-specific code compatibility issues.

If your audience is mostly in southern China, a Hong Kong VPS may be faster than overseas options.

Why hosting in Hong Kong is not enough

However, VPS hosting doesn’t address website elements that are broken or slow-loading in China, such as:

Google Fonts, Google Maps, reCAPTCHA

YouTube, Vimeo, and other embedded media

Social sharing tools (Facebook, X, etc.)

External APIs and libraries hosted on blocked or throttled domains

Hundreds of lesser known third-party resources, always evolving in their interactions with China’s internet ecosystem.

So even if you host closer to China, your site might still break or load painfully slowly unless you optimize for China’s unique digital ecosystem.

Can I host my website in Hong Kong without an ICP license?

Yes. Unlike mainland China, Hong Kong doesn’t require an ICP license to host websites.

That said, if you want to host within mainland China, you’ll need to apply* for an ICP (Internet Content Provider) license through the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). This process can be time-consuming, complex, and only available to entities with a registered presence in China.

Read more: What is an ICP License?

*Disclaimer: This guide is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Chinafy is not a legal or corporate advisory entity, and, given that every business is different, we suggest consulting with your internal legal counsel if you would like advice on any legal or compliance-related concerns, or alternatively we can connect you with one of our partners.

Challenges and Considerations of VPS Hosting

While Hong Kong VPS Hosting has many benefits, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Performance vs. cost: Entry plans (e.g., LightNode from $8.70/month) are affordable, but higher-tier specs cost more.

No compliance shortcut: A Hong Kong VPS doesn’t eliminate the need to comply with Chinese laws if you operate or market inside China.

Provider quality varies: Research hosting companies carefully for reviews and uptime guarantees. Some have mixed reviews and reliability issues.

VPS hosting in Hong Kong can offer marginal performance improvements for Chinese visitors compared to hosting further away but it’s not a complete solution.

If you want your website to load fast and fully in China, regardless of where you're hosting, you need to address both infrastructure and code-level incompatibilities.

That’s where Chinafy comes in.

Whether you're hosting offshore (e.g., on a Hong Kong VPS or using shared hosting in the US) or onshore (in mainland China) – Chinafy helps you:

Identify and intelligently treat blocked or slow third-party resources

Improve load times up to 8x faster without rebuilding your site from scratch

Go live with a China-friendly version of your site in just 2 weeks, if not less.

Looking for ways to get your site loading how you expect it to in China? Get in touch today.