What is the code to call China from Malaysia?

The country code is +86. From Malaysia dial 00 86 on a normal line, or just +86 and the number on StartACall, dropping the leading zero.

How much does it cost to call China?

On StartACall it is about $0.97 per minute to a landline and around $1.03 to a mobile, plus a $0.004 connection fee, billed per minute.

Is there a time difference with Malaysia?

No. China and Malaysia share the same time zone, so any hour that suits you is the same time there.

How do I dial a Beijing landline from Malaysia?

Take the national form 010 and the number, drop the leading zero and dial +86 10 and the number. Beijing uses area code 10.

Is a mobile or a landline cheaper to call?

A landline at about $0.97 per minute is slightly cheaper than a mobile at around $1.03, so choose the landline for a long call when one is available.

Do I need an app or SIM to call China?

No. StartACall works in your browser on computer and phone, and the person you call needs no app either.

Is the first call free?

Yes. Every new account gets one free call to test the quality, with no card required.

How to call China from Malaysia (+86) | StartACall | StartACall

The China code and how to dial

The country code for China is +86. Mobile numbers are eleven digits and start with 1, while landlines use an area code such as 10 for Beijing, 21 for Shanghai and 20 for Guangzhou. The leading zero used locally is removed when you call from abroad.

From Malaysia the old way is 00 86 and the number. On StartACall you simply type the plus sign, 86 and the number. It works the same on a laptop or phone, with nothing to install and no operator code to remember.

What it costs to call China

Calls to a Chinese landline are about $0.97 per minute and calls to a mobile are around $1.03 per minute. There is a small $0.004 connection fee per call, and billing is per minute with no monthly plan.

Because the per minute rate is higher, it helps to plan longer calls. The credit you top up never expires, and the first call is free with no card, so you can check the line before adding balance.

To call, open the dialler in Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox, allow the microphone, type +86 and the number, then press call. There is nothing to install on either side, and the person in China simply answers their normal phone, so once you have the number in the international form the call connects in a few seconds.

Time difference and good hours to call

China is in the same time zone as Malaysia, so there is no time difference to plan around. Whatever hour suits you in Kuala Lumpur is the same hour in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.

That makes it easy to call family in the evening or reach a business contact during the working day, without any time zone maths. As a worked example, 9pm in Kuala Lumpur is 9pm in Shanghai, so a call at the end of your day reaches the other end at the same hour.

China keeps a single time zone across the whole country, so Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are all on the same clock as Malaysia. There is no daylight saving to track either, so a regular call time stays correct throughout the year.

Worked examples for the main cities

A Beijing landline written nationally as 010 1234 5678 becomes +86 10 1234 5678 from Malaysia, dropping the leading zero. A Shanghai number on 021 becomes +86 21 and the digits, and a Guangzhou number on 020 becomes +86 20 and the digits.

Mobiles carry no area code and start with 1 nationally, running to eleven digits. A mobile written 138 0013 8000 is dialled as +86 138 0013 8000. Most personal calls go to a mobile, so this is the form you will use most often.

Mobile versus landline and the diaspora context

For the Chinese community and business contacts in Malaysia, calls to the mainland are common, and the line type changes the cost slightly. A landline is about $0.97 per minute while a mobile is around $1.03, so for a long call a landline is the marginally cheaper option when one is available.

Because the rate is higher than nearby destinations, it helps to plan longer calls and check the rate before you dial. There is no roaming charge since the call goes over the internet, and the credit you add never expires, which suits occasional calls to the mainland.

It works the same in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox on a laptop or a phone, so you can call from whichever device you have to hand. As long as you have wifi or mobile data, the browser is all you need to reach a number in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or anywhere else in China.

Call China +86

What you get

How it works

Open StartACall

Type +86 and the number

Press call

Why people use StartACall

Instant setup

Pay as you go

No app, no SIM

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