18 September 2022
Purchase a .cn domain name
The first step is to register your .cn domain name. There is a marked distinction between registering a .cn domain name and trying to use it. If you want a website or an application on your .cn domain name, it is quite the process which we have explained below.
Activate your domain name
Activating your domain name will be necessary if you plan on hosting a website or associating an email with your .cn domain.
You’ll need to provide a copy of valid documentation in order to begin the real name validation process. To use your domain name, you must provide one of the following:
- A valid resident ID, temporary resident ID, business license or organization code certificate from China.
- A valid resident ID, passport or business license from Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau.
- A valid passport from Singapore.
- A valid passport from all other countries and regions.
- Once your documentation has been received, you’ll be notified whether it has passed real name validation.
You will need to host a website
Next, you’ll need an ICP license, issued by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which allows your China-based website(s) to operate in the country.
There are two types of ICP licenses:
- ICP Commercial license – for commercial websites (operational),which allows you to operate an e-commerce website.
- ICP Filing (or ‘Bei’an’ in Chinese) for non-commercial websites (informational).
The ICP Filing Process
Obtaining an ICP number takes an average span of 3 – 6 weeks, including the submission of documents to a hosting provider. If the documents are deemed valid upon review by the provider, they are forwarded to the MIIT for further review. If at either stage the documents are rejected, the applicant is required to submit additional documents. A summary of the process is as follows:
- Register your .cn domain name.
- Get Your ICP Service Number: You then acquire a Bei’an service number, which is a special identification number that attaches to your server and domain and binds these together with your ICP application filing.
- Register for the Aliyun ICP Management System.
- Login to Aliyun and complete the registration form in its entirety. Submit all requested documents including a recent photo of youself.
- Wait for MIIT approval (3 – 6 weeks)
Agency Help
International brands trying to get online in China should consider a managed service to take you through the process, because it can be quite time-consuming and complicated, especially if you do not have Chinese speakers in your business.
Important Website Information
Chinese law requires that you display your ICP license number on your website in a clear and visible fashion. Many businesses place their license number on the footer of their website.
The following content must not be included in any website with a domain name registered and used by any organisation or individual:
- Opposition to the basic principles prescribed in the Constitution;
- Jeopardising national security, revealing state secrets, the intention to overturn the government, or causing a disruption of state integrity;
- Demonstrating harm to national honour and national interests;
- The instigation of hostility or discrimination between different nationalities, or disruption of national solidarity;
- Violation of the state religion policies or the propagation of cult and feudal superstition;
- The spreading of rumours, disturbing public order or disrupting social stability;
- The promotion of pornography, obscenity, gambling, violence, homicide, terror, or the instigation of crimes;
- Insults, libel against others, and the infringement of people’s legal rights and interests; or
- Content prohibited by law, rules, and administrative regulations.
About brandsec
brandsec specialises in corporate domain name management and brand protection company. We look after many of Australia, New Zealand and Asia’s top publicly listed brands, providing monitoring and enforcement services, DNS, SSL Management, domain name brokerage and dispute management and brand security consultation services.
