China’s internet controls appear to be entering a new phase, one that targets not just users but the physical and commercial infrastructure that makes cross-border connectivity possible.
A leaked internal notice, attributed to Shaanxi Telecom, orders internet service providers to block all outbound connections beyond mainland China, including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the wider international internet. The directive threatens permanent shutdowns and financial penalties for any carrier that fails to comply.
Its language and timing align with a series of enforcement actions reported across China’s data center and telecom sectors since early April.
A directive that goes beyond past restrictions
The notice, dated April 8, 2026, instructs all IP addresses under Shaanxi Telecom’s jurisdiction to immediately halt connections to any external network. It does not focus on specific tools or platforms. Instead, it mandates the elimination of “any form of circumvention business,” a broad category that includes VPN services and proxy routing.
In China, such tools are commonly referred to as “fanqiang,” or “climbing over the wall,” a colloquial term for bypassing the Communist Party’s extensive internet filtering system, known internationally as the Great Firewall.
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Entities found in violation face severe consequences. These include immediate service termination, permanent loss of IP allocations, and liability for any resulting damages. The notice also makes clear that no refunds will be issued for disrupted services.
The language marks a departure from earlier directives, which typically relied on vague references to “network security risks.” Here, the terminology is explicit, and the penalties are framed as irreversible.
Pressure shifts to infrastructure providers
At the same time, accounts from within China’s internet infrastructure industry describe a sweeping compliance campaign targeting data centers and content-delivery networks.
Facilities across the country were reportedly ordered to audit and eliminate what authorities describe as “non-compliant cross-border access.” Unlike earlier enforcement cycles, this campaign directly names circumvention activity rather than using bureaucratic euphemisms.
A separate notice, attributed to a CDN operator known as Qihang CDN, indicates that the company is removing server nodes from Shaanxi and relocating infrastructure to other provinces in response to tightening policy conditions.
Content-delivery networks play a central role in how VPN services operate inside China. Many rely on domestic relay servers to improve speed and stability when connecting to overseas endpoints. That architecture now appears to be under direct regulatory pressure.
Within the VPN service community, reports suggest that some providers have already raised prices, halted new user registrations, or shifted to less efficient overseas-only routing. These adjustments reflect the increasing difficulty of maintaining stable connections within China’s domestic network environment.
Signals of broader telecom restrictions
Additional signs point to tightening controls at the user level as well.
On April 8, a user posting on X shared a screenshot of a text message allegedly sent by China Telecom. The message stated that, beginning April 22, the recipient’s SIM card would no longer support international roaming services, including calls, messaging, and mobile data. Replacing the SIM card was presented as the only way to restore those functions.
It remains unclear whether this measure applies broadly or to specific user categories.
Users report worsening access
Chinese internet users with access to platforms outside the Great Firewall describe noticeable declines in VPN performance.
Some reported repeated outages during politically sensitive periods, including the annual “Two Sessions” meetings of China’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress, and its advisory body. Others described increasingly slow or unstable connections.
In past years, such disruptions often eased after key political events. This time, users say the restrictions are persisting.
Online reactions reflect both frustration and resignation. Some describe the controls as an attempt to criminalize access to global information. Others frame them as an unprecedented level of digital control.
A structural shift in enforcement
China has long enforced restrictions on VPN use, particularly during periods of political sensitivity. What distinguishes the current campaign is its apparent focus on infrastructure rather than individuals.
Earlier crackdowns typically targeted end users or required companies to register and regulate VPN services. The latest measures aim at the underlying systems that make circumvention possible.
This shift increases the stakes for telecom carriers and data center operators, which face the prospect of permanent shutdowns rather than temporary penalties.
It also reduces the ability of service providers to adapt. In previous enforcement cycles, VPN operators were often able to reroute traffic or develop new workarounds within months. The current approach targets those very routing mechanisms.
Whether the Shaanxi directive reflects a coordinated national policy or an aggressive local interpretation of central guidance remains unclear. What is clear is that enforcement pressure is rising across multiple layers of China’s internet ecosystem.
For tens of millions of users in China who rely on cross-border access for work, research, or communication with family abroad, the impact will become increasingly visible in the weeks ahead.