> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sinosend.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send Files to China That Actually Arrive and Open Fast

> Transfer files to and from China without VPNs. Sinosend's Hong Kong and Shanghai edge nodes route around the Great Firewall for reliable delivery.

If you have ever tried to share files with a supplier in Shenzhen or a trading partner in Shanghai using WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive, you already know the problem: links time out, downloads crawl or never complete, and your contact on the other end has to fumble with a VPN just to open a product spec. Sinosend is built to solve this. Using dedicated edge nodes in Hong Kong and Shanghai, Sinosend delivers files into Mainland China reliably — no VPN required on either side.

## Why most file-sharing services fail in China

China's Great Firewall (GFW) blocks or severely throttles a wide range of overseas internet services. For file transfers specifically, this means:

| Service             | Status in China          |
| ------------------- | ------------------------ |
| WeTransfer          | Blocked                  |
| Dropbox             | Blocked                  |
| Google Drive        | Blocked                  |
| OneDrive (personal) | Intermittent / throttled |
| Standard CDNs       | Heavily throttled        |

Even services that are not explicitly blocked often route traffic through US or European data centres. That traffic must cross the GFW inspection layer on entry into China, causing severe packet loss and throttling — making a 20 MB file feel like a dial-up download.

<Note>
  The Great Firewall is not static. Blocks and throttling levels change. Sinosend's infrastructure is designed to remain effective through these changes by using in-region nodes rather than attempting to cross the GFW from the outside.
</Note>

## How Sinosend solves it

Sinosend operates two edge nodes specifically designed for China delivery:

* **Hong Kong node** — sits outside the GFW but is geographically and topologically close to Mainland China. Traffic from Hong Kong into China uses domestic-grade peering routes rather than international links, avoiding the congestion and inspection bottlenecks at the GFW border.
* **Shanghai node** — sits entirely inside Mainland China. Files stored here are served as domestic traffic, with no GFW traversal at all. Ideal for recipients in major mainland cities and for use cases that require data stored within the PRC.

Both nodes run on **Alibaba Cloud infrastructure**, which has deep peering agreements with China's three major ISPs — China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile. This means download speeds for Chinese recipients are typically **2–10× faster** than the same files served from a US or European server.

<Tip>
  Recipients in China do not need a VPN to download your files. The link works in any browser, on any device, on any Chinese mobile network or broadband connection.
</Tip>

## Sending TO China

To ensure your transfer reaches recipients in Mainland China:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a new transfer">
    Click **New Transfer** from your Sinosend dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your files">
    Add the files you want to send to your Chinese contact.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Transfer Settings">
    Click **Settings** to open the transfer configuration panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the right data region">
    Under **Data Region**, choose one of the following:

    * **APAC — Hong Kong** for general Mainland China access, Hong Kong, or Southeast Asia.
    * **Mainland China (Shanghai)** if your recipient needs files stored entirely within the PRC, or if they are in Shanghai, Beijing, or other major mainland cities.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the transfer">
    Enter your recipient's email (or copy the shareable link) and click **Send**. Your files are written to the selected edge node immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Do not select a US or EU data region for transfers destined for China. Files stored in those regions will be served across the GFW and will be slow or inaccessible for recipients in Mainland China.
</Warning>

## Sending FROM China

Sinosend works equally well when your Chinese partner or supplier needs to send files to you. They can:

1. Log in to Sinosend (or use a guest upload link you send them)
2. Upload files from their Chinese network connection — uploads go directly to the nearest edge node
3. Send the transfer link to you

Because uploads go to Hong Kong or Shanghai nodes rather than crossing the Pacific, the upload experience is fast from within China even without a VPN.

## Choosing between Hong Kong and Shanghai

| Scenario                                                  | Use this region                                         |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Sending to a supplier in Guangdong, Shenzhen, or Dongguan | APAC — Hong Kong                                        |
| Sending to a partner in Shanghai, Beijing, or Chengdu     | Either; Shanghai preferred for pure mainland compliance |
| Recipient explicitly requires data stored inside the PRC  | Mainland China (Shanghai)                               |
| Sending to Hong Kong SAR (not mainland)                   | APAC — Hong Kong                                        |
| Sending to Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand)  | APAC — Hong Kong                                        |

<Note>
  When in doubt, **APAC — Hong Kong** is the safest general-purpose choice for China delivery. It is accessible without a VPN from anywhere in Mainland China and provides excellent speeds for most cities.
</Note>

## Typical use cases

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Product catalogs and specs" icon="file-image">
    Share high-resolution product photos, technical drawings, and specification sheets with factories and OEM partners in China.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contracts and agreements" icon="file-contract">
    Send legally binding documents — purchase orders, NDAs, supplier agreements — that need to be opened and signed quickly.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sample approvals" icon="circle-check">
    Receive photos, videos, and approval documents from your factory's QC team without waiting for slow, throttled uploads.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Logistics and customs" icon="truck">
    Exchange shipping manifests, packing lists, bills of lading, and customs declarations with freight forwarders and logistics partners.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## File types and size limits

Sinosend works with any file type. For China transfers, the following formats are particularly common in global trade workflows and are fully supported:

* **Documents** — PDF, Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), PowerPoint (.pptx)
* **Images** — JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD, AI (product photos, technical drawings)
* **Video** — MP4, MOV (factory walkthroughs, sample videos)
* **Archives** — ZIP, RAR (batch documents and photo sets)

File size limits depend on your Sinosend plan. Large files (CAD packages, video libraries) are fully supported on Pro and Business plans.

## Speed expectations

| Transfer scenario                                 | Typical speed vs standard services |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| PDF (\< 5 MB) to Shanghai via HK node             | 5–10× faster                       |
| Photo library (50–200 MB) to Shenzhen via HK node | 3–8× faster                        |
| Video (500 MB+) to Beijing via Shanghai node      | 2–5× faster                        |
| Upload from Guangzhou factory to HK node          | 3–7× faster than cross-Pacific     |

Actual speeds depend on local ISP conditions, but in testing against WeTransfer and Dropbox from consumer broadband in major Chinese cities, Sinosend consistently delivers files at a multiple of the speed achieved by services routing via US servers.

## Frequently asked questions

**Does my recipient in China need a Sinosend account?**
No. Recipients download files via a link and do not need to create an account.

**Does my recipient need a VPN?**
No. That is the whole point. Sinosend's Hong Kong and Shanghai nodes deliver files as domestic or near-domestic traffic. No VPN is required.

**What if my recipient is in Hong Kong, not Mainland China?**
The APAC — Hong Kong region works perfectly for Hong Kong SAR recipients as well as Mainland China.

**Can I password-protect transfers to China?**
Yes. All Sinosend security features — password protection, expiry dates, download limits — work normally regardless of which data region you choose.

**Is Sinosend legal to use in China?**
Yes. Sinosend does not circumvent the GFW — it routes around GFW bottlenecks using infrastructure that is legitimately hosted in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Recipients are downloading files from infrastructure that is either outside or inside China, not from a blocked foreign service.