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Best VPNs for Hong Kong

Best VPNs for Hong Kong

By Daniel C.Daniel C. — Verified by Sander D.Sander D. — Last updated: July 23, 2024 — (0)
Table of contents
Using a Hong Kong IP
Internet censorship in Hong Kong
Streaming services in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a very special case in terms of political status and consequently, internet freedom. Formerly an English colony, today Hong Kong is essentially a part of China where – opposed to the rest of the country – cultural elements and trade associated with the “western” world can more or less run free. You could say that the current status of Hong Kong and its neighbor Macau are still heritages of the colonial era. This special situation resulted in Hong Kong becoming a metropolis and a center of world trade. Thus, the internet is highly coveted in essentially all areas of life. Luckily, Hong Kong enjoys some of the most free access to content and little censorship.

Editor's choice 2024
NordVPN logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Intuitive multiplatform apps
Double VPN and P2P support
Plenty of security features
Large VPN network with consistent speeds
Visit NordVPN
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Surfshark logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Intuitive multiplatform apps
Double VPN
WireGuard protocol
Outstanding device support
Visit Surfshark
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IPVanish logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Unlimited devices
No-log policy
24/7 support
Reliable security tools
Visit IPVanish
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ExpressVPN logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Extensive device support
Exceptional speed
Intuitive apps
Convenient extras
Visit ExpressVPN
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CyberGhost VPN logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Suitable for all VPN users
Great security features
Seven simultaneous connections
24/7 customer support
Visit CyberGhost VPN
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ZoogVPN logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
24/7 customer service
Competitive price
Good connection speed
Based in Greece
Visit ZoogVPN
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Private Internet Access logo
Editor's rating:
(4.5)
Unlimited devices
DNS leak protection
Suitable for all users
Completely customizable
Visit Private Internet Access
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TunnelBear logo
Editor's rating:
(4)
Very easy and fun to use
Kill switch and traffic obfuscato
Browser extensions and Chrome blocker
Good speeds
Visit TunnelBear
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Using a Hong Kong IP

Hong Kong is undisputedly one of the most important places on the planet today. Connecting there for any reason (with a bit of far fetching on our side) is a just cause. This is reflected in the IPv6 usage of the region. There is a need for additional domain addresses on the globe, and the current IPv4 protocol cannot supply this need. Hong Kong is one of the leaders in implementing the IPv6 protocol, with over 65% support today that is growing rapidly. If you connect to Hong Kong with the help of a VPN service, expect quality wherever you look. English is a frequently used language, but Chinese-originated population dominates. In fact, it is not so rare that both Cantonese and English appear on the same website in unison, instead of choosing between one or the other.

Hong Kongese online privacy laws

It must be noted here that Hong Kong is a “special administrative region” of China. The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 establishes that Hong Kong in its entirety is subject to the one country, two systems principle. From the perspective of internet freedom, this means that while the region has a high degree of autonomy, the laws affecting Hong Kong’s internet can be placed somewhere in between the UK’s (which are not so free) and China’s (which is very restrictive). It is illegal to publish an obscene article online, which is quite vague. Any form of child pornography is illegal. On the other hand, protests are present in Hong Kong (as opposed to the rest of China). For example, massive demonstrations erupted against the eventually dropped Article 23 of Hong Kong Basic law. This sanction would have forced Hong Kong into discontinuing a good number of foreign contacts, and political activity, something that contradicted the UK agreement to begin with.

Internet censorship in Hong Kong

There are two main areas of content that are very frequently censored or restricted in some way or another: pornography and cases of copyright infringement. Child pornography in considered to be especially harmful, in accordance with the vast majority of the planet’s countries. Merely possessing such material means five years of imprisonment. Regarding copyright infringement, Hong Kong’s laws are strict. The concept of fair use is completely ignored, meaning that the appearance of a certain work of art anywhere else other than with the official distributor(s) is considered illegal.

Self-censorship and consequently, press freedom has seen a decline in recent years. Government influence, economical pressures, police intervention and the generally poorer accessibility of information are just a few of the obstacles that you, a potential reader will get to see the negative consequences of.

Streaming services in Hong Kong

Streaming availability in Hong Kong is not the best. Some of the more popular music providers like Apple Music of Google Play Music are not present in the region. However, some companies with better reception in Asia are very much open for business. KKBox is one such streamer, but it is only available in Chinese and with a selective palette of music that concentrates on local variations of pop and easy listening. Moov is a streamer that can only be found in Hong Kong. next to a wider selection of songs it also supports music videos. Soliton is a company operating exclusively in Hong Kong and its neighbor, Macau. This particular service has a voice recognition system built into it that will search for songs based on lyrics you supply or even sing into your device. And lastly, there is Spotify that has the most extended selection and also encourages socialization. In terms of moving pictures, Netflix launches in 2016 in Hong Kong, but HBO Asia is another option.

Free Hong Kong VPN trials

Hong Kong is a special place in the world with laws that apply there only. Luckily, VPN providers that make safe connections possible to the region are not affected by sanctions there. In fact, numerous VPN companies establish headquarters in Hong Kong just because of the favorable conditions. PureVPN is a prime example of this. This company offers over 140 locations to connect to and supports companies with packages specifically designed for them, next to a regular VPN service. SSL support is also one of their strengths, along with a built-in kill switch that will shut down your connection to the internet as soon as a problem negatively impacting your VPN occurs. Customer service operates 24/7 and you can even enlist help via remote desktop.

VyprVPN is another great choice. Though this company hails from Switzerland, that country also serves as fertile soil for those who want to plant a VPN seed. The company’s own VyprDNS proxy is a customized safety tool to behold, but you are also given an NAT Firewall for additional protection. This company also employs a kill switch in their arsenal.

And lastly, we would like to advise you to take a look at Private Internet Access. Though they offer fewer countries than most, those that are available (including Hong Kong) are of premier quality. With device support favoring gaming consoles as well and the top security of today also at hand, you are in for a great VPN experience with them as well.

 

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