Time Difference Between China and London
As of 12 October 2026, London is 7 hours behind China. That number is not constant. Over the course of a year, because of daylight saving changes, London, United Kingdom ranges from 8 hours behind to 7 hours behind relative to Beijing, China. The calculator below is always up to date.
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Beijing, China
20:45
Mon, Oct 12, 2026
UTC+8 · Asia/Shanghai
London, United Kingdom
-7h
13:45
Mon, Oct 12, 2026
UTC+1 · Europe/London
London is 7 hours behind China.
Time zone details
| Place | Local date | Time zone | UTC offset | Summer time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Monday, October 12, 2026 | Asia/Shanghai | UTC+8 | Not observed |
| London | Monday, October 12, 2026 | Europe/London | UTC+1 | Active now |
China: China uses a single official time zone across the whole country.
Hour by hour: China to London
Every hour of today in China and what it is in London. Highlighted rows fall inside London working hours (09:00–18:00).
| China | London |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 17:00prev day |
| 01:00 | 18:00prev day |
| 02:00 | 19:00prev day |
| 03:00 | 20:00prev day |
| 04:00 | 21:00prev day |
| 05:00 | 22:00prev day |
| 06:00 | 23:00prev day |
| 07:00 | 00:00 |
| 08:00 | 01:00 |
| 09:00 | 02:00 |
| 10:00 | 03:00 |
| 11:00 | 04:00 |
| China | London |
|---|---|
| 12:00 | 05:00 |
| 13:00 | 06:00 |
| 14:00 | 07:00 |
| 15:00 | 08:00 |
| 16:00 | 09:00 |
| 17:00 | 10:00 |
| 18:00 | 11:00 |
| 19:00 | 12:00 |
| 20:00 | 13:00 |
| 21:00 | 14:00 |
| 22:00 | 15:00 |
| 23:00 | 16:00 |
Best time to call or meet
Overlapping working hours
16:00–18:00 in China (09:00–11:00 in London)
Both places are inside 09:00–18:00 for 2 hours a day. Anything in this window works without asking anyone to stay late.
Reasonable calling hours
15:00–21:00 in China (08:00–14:00 in London)
Both people are awake and available between 08:00 and 21:00 local time during this window.
When this difference changes
London puts its clocks back on Sunday, October 25, 2026
The local offset moves from UTC+1 to UTC. After that date, London is 8 hours behind China — instead of 7 hours behind, as it is today.
Planning something with more than two places?
Adding a third city usually kills the obvious answer. The Meeting Time Finder takes up to five cities at once and shows only the hours that work for everybody.
China and London: common questions
What is the time difference between China and London?
As of 12 October 2026, London is 7 hours behind China. The gap is not fixed: across the year, London ranges from 8 hours behind to 7 hours behind relative to China, as clocks change. The calculator on this page always shows the difference for right now.
When it is 9:00 AM in China, what time is it in London?
It is 02:00 AM in London, United Kingdom. Use the time field in the calculator above to check any other hour.
Is London ahead of or behind China?
London is behind China by 7 hours at the moment. In practical terms, the working day in London starts and ends later in China terms.
Do China and London observe daylight saving time?
London changes its clocks twice a year; China does not. The difference therefore shifts by an hour when London switches: across the year, London ranges from 8 hours behind to 7 hours behind relative to China.
What is the best time to call London from China?
Working hours overlap between 16:00 and 18:00 China time, which is 09:00 to 11:00 in London. Calls inside that window reach both sides during the normal working day.
Related comparisons
Local dates shown for Beijing, China (UTC+8) and London, United Kingdom (UTC+1) were generated on Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC and refresh in your browser.