WPML, the WordPress Multilingual Plugin, is a widely used plugin to make WordPress sites multilingual.

Used by over a million sites worldwide, it’s a popular option for WordPress site owners who want to translate content, optimize for global SEO, and reach diverse audiences.

But if you’re a developer or marketer aiming to target Chinese users, does WPML hold up in China’s unique digital ecosystem?

TL;DR: Yes, WPML works in China, but while it efficiently translates your site (including into Simplified Chinese), it doesn’t resolve underlying performance issues caused by third-party resource restrictions and hosting challenges. For optimal results in China’s unique digital landscape, pairing WPML with solutions like Chinafy is essential.

Let’s break it down.

What is WPML?

WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) lets you run a single WordPress site in multiple languages with automatic translation via WPML AI, Google, DeepL and Microsoft, or professional translation. WPML supports over 65 languages and integrates with SEO tools like Yoast to boost visibility.

For businesses with a Chinese-speaking audience, WPML enables you to translate your site in Simplified Chinese alongside English or other languages.

But China’s internet isn’t like the rest of the world, so let’s explore what “working in China” really means.

Does WPML work in China?

WPML itself isn’t blocked in China and typically works as long as the rest of the WordPress site is compatible with China’s internet environment as of the date of writing.

Read more about WordPress in China

Why doesn’t my WordPress site work in China?

WordPress sites often encounter issues in China with inaccessible or slow commonly used libraries and third-party resources. The speed and functionality of your website is also reliant on your infrastructure setup.

Third-party resource incompatibility

There are thousands of themes and WordPress plugins in the WordPress ecosystem, each managed and updated by independent developers. Some of these resources may be blocked or delivered slowly in China, leading to slow or incomplete loading of your page.

Unfortunately, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of resources that have incompatibility issues (meaning they may take a long time to load or fail to load at all) in China and the way they work differs and evolves over time so there is no one-off list or means to edit these resources. Changes will likely have to be made on an ongoing basis.

Infrastructure incompatibility

If you’re hosting your WordPress site outside of China*, this can create additional latency even on the simplest of website components (e.g. images) i) because the browser has to retrieve files from servers further located outside of China when a user accesses the website ii) due to China’s unique internet framework- resulting in a poor browsing experience.

*Hosting your WordPress site in mainland China comes with prerequisites including a registered Chinese business entity and an ICP license.

Using a content delivery network (CDN) can deliver your website’s content closer to the end user. However, even top tier global CDNs typically do not have Points of Presence (PoPs) by default inside China and so the distance still slows down site performance. Even if they do have PoPs inside of China, they’re not automatically included in your CDN package as you would still have to fulfill certain pre-requisites in order to leverage them.

Will WPML make my site work in China?

Translating your site into Simplified Chinese or localizing its content is a good way to make it more accessible for Chinese visitors, however WPML– or any other translation services– will not tackle the incompatibility issues outlined above or make your site load faster or more completely in China.

How does Chinafy make WordPress work in China?

Whether your site is hosted offshore or onshore, Chinafy can be bolted onto your existing WordPress site– whether you’re using WPML or not– to achieve faster loading times, and more functional website experience.

Chinafy tackle both infrastructure and code issues:

Generates a version of your website for China visitors without affecting your current site.

Detects and handles blocked or slow-performant resources (e.g., replacing Google Maps for Baidu Maps for the Chinafy version).

Adds a China-friendly CDN without changing your hosting.

Keeps your China-optimized site synced with your global one.

WPML is a tool to enable multilingual WordPress sites and can handle translations into Simplified Chinese without being blocked in China. However, ensuring a smooth user experience in China goes beyond translation. Due to challenges like third-party resource limitations and infrastructure incompatibilities, WPML alone won’t make your site perform optimally in China. Integrating specialized solutions like Chinafy can address these issues by optimizing both the code and delivery infrastructure, ultimately ensuring that your site remains accessible and fast for Chinese users. Get started with Chinafy to optimize your WordPress site now.