How Can You Speed Up Your SaaS Performance in China? A Complete Technical Guide

China’s unique internet infrastructure presents significant challenges for international Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies. Site visitors expect a website to load in less than 2 seconds, yet 90% of sites take 5 seconds or longer to load in China. For SaaS companies targeting Chinese users, slow performance can mean the difference between success and failure in this massive market.

This comprehensive guide explores three complementary levels of speed optimisation that work together to effectively improve your SaaS performance in China: proxy solutions, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), and Direct Connect services. They’re layered optimisations that build upon each other for maximum performance enhancement.

Why Do SaaS Applications Perform Poorly in China?

The Great Firewall: China’s internet filtering system creates latency and packet loss for international connections, directly impacting SaaS applications that rely on real-time data synchronization.

Cross-Border Network Congestion: International bandwidth to China is limited and expensive, creating bottlenecks during peak usage hours.

Routing Inefficiencies: Traffic often takes suboptimal routes through multiple international hops, adding unnecessary latency.

Third-Party Service Dependencies: Many SaaS applications rely on Western services (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, etc.) that are blocked or severely throttled in China. You can check what services are blocked using the AppInChina Tech Stack Tester. 

What Are the Three Levels of SaaS Speed Optimisation in China?

Rather than choosing between different solutions, optimal SaaS performance in China requires implementing all three optimisation levels in harmony.

Level 1: Proxy Solutions: The Foundation Layer

How Do Proxy Solutions Work?

Proxy servers act as the first optimisation layer between your SaaS application and Chinese users. They serve as intelligent intermediaries that can route traffic through the most efficient paths while providing additional security and caching capabilities.

Key Benefits as Foundation Layer:

• Fastest implementation time (typically 1-2 weeks)
• Lower initial investment to start optimization
• Handles both static and dynamic content routing
• Provides additional security layer for subsequent optimizations
• Essential for testing higher-level optimizations

Why Proxies Work Best with Other Layers:

Hong Kong-based proxies offer the best balance of performance and regulatory compliance as a foundation. They provide faster connections to mainland China while remaining outside the Great Firewall’s direct influence, creating an optimal staging ground for CDN and Direct Connect optimisations.

Are Proxy Solutions Compliant?

Proxy solutions exist in a regulatory grey area. While not explicitly prohibited, they’re not officially sanctioned either. As a foundation layer, they’re ideal for testing and initial implementation while building toward more compliant, comprehensive solutions.

Level 2: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): The Acceleration Layer

CDNs located outside of China are less effective than those located inside. Even top CDN servers close to Mainland China, such as Hong Kong and Japan, often don’t compete well enough with local ones. However, when layered on top of proxy solutions, CDNs create a powerful acceleration system.

China-Based CDN Solutions as Acceleration Layer

China-based CDNs work optimally when combined with proxy foundations:

Advantages in Layered Implementation:

• Amplifies proxy performance improvements by 200-300%
• Optimal performance with servers located within mainland China
• Full compliance with Chinese data localization requirements
• Support for dynamic content caching that enhances proxy efficiency
• Creates redundancy and failover capabilities with proxy layer

Critical Integration Point: For this solution to be considered compliant, it must be linked to a Chinese legal entity. This means you have to partner with a local entity, such as AppInChina.

Are China-based CDNs Compliant?

China-based CDNs provide full compliance with Chinese data localisation requirements when properly implemented with the required licenses and partnerships. When integrated with proxy foundations and Direct Connect infrastructure, they create the most compliant and high-performance system possible.

Level 3: Direct Connect: The Infrastructure Layer

Direct Connect establishes dedicated, private network connections that serve as the backbone infrastructure for your proxy and CDN layers. Rather than replacing these optimisations, Direct Connect provides the reliable, high-speed foundation that makes them even more effective.

Main Direct Connect Providers:

• Alibaba Cloud Express Connect: Provides dedicated network connections that enhance proxy and CDN performance
• Tencent Cloud Direct Connect: Offers similar capabilities with strong integration to existing optimization layers
• AWS Direct Connect (via partners): Available through approved Chinese partners for comprehensive infrastructure optimization

Key Advantages as Infrastructure Layer:

• Officially compliant with Chinese regulations
• Provides stable backbone for proxy and CDN layers
• Predictable bandwidth and latency for entire optimization stack
• No interruption risk from policy changes affecting lower layers
• Support for both primary and backup connections across all optimization levels

For this solution to work optimally, you need a local Chinese partner to ensure proper integration across all optimisation layers.

How Long Does it Take to Implement the Complete Optimisation Stack?

Level 1 – Proxy Layer: 1-2 weeks

• Foundation implementation
• Immediate performance improvements
• Testing ground for subsequent layers

Level 2 – CDN Integration: 2-4 weeks (can overlap with Phase 1)

• Builds upon proxy foundation
• Requires content optimization and configuration
• Significant performance multiplier effect

Level 3 – Direct Connect Backbone: 2-6 months (planned during Phases 1-2)

• Comprehensive infrastructure implementation
• Requires regulatory approvals and partner coordination
• Transforms entire stack into enterprise-grade solution

Total Optimized Implementation: 3-7 months for full three-layer optimization

How Do I Ensure My Layered Solution is Compliant?

While speeding up your SaaS solution is important for your business and clients, it is also essential that you remain compliant with Chinese laws and regulations across all optimisation layers:

Data Localisation Requirements: Chinese data protection laws require certain types of data to be stored within China. Ensure your entire performance optimisation stack aligns with these requirements.

Content Moderation: Even with optimised performance across all layers, your SaaS application must comply with Chinese content moderation requirements. Build content review processes into your workflow.

Cybersecurity Law Compliance: Chinese cybersecurity laws may require security assessments for your complete optimisation system. Factor this into your implementation timeline.

Business License Requirements: Your comprehensive performance optimisation solution may require specific business licenses in China. Consult with local legal experts before implementation.

What is the Right Implementation Strategy For Me?

For Startups and SMEs: Start with a proxy foundation, quickly add a Hong Kong CDN layer for immediate compound improvements, then plan a Direct Connect backbone as you scale.

For Enterprise SaaS Companies: Implement all three layers simultaneously with phased rollout, and deploy proxy and CDN for immediate improvements while setting up Direct Connect infrastructure for comprehensive optimisation.

For Regulated Industries: Focus on building the complete compliant stack from day one, with Direct Connect infrastructure planned from the beginning to support compliant proxy and CDN layers.

What Are the Cost Considerations for Layered Implementation?

Proxy Layer: USD 500 to 2,000 per month depending on traffic volume 

CDN Layer Addition: USD 1,000 to 5,000 per month based on bandwidth usage

Direct Connect Infrastructure: USD 3,000 to 15,000 per month including bandwidth and setup costs

Total Optimized Stack: USD 4,500 to 22,000 per month

While the complete optimisation stack has higher costs, the performance improvements are multiplicative rather than additive, meaning with every extra implementation, the speed will greatly increase. 

How Can AppInChina Help?

Speeding up SaaS performance in China requires a strategic approach that balances immediate performance needs with long-term compliance requirements. While proxy solutions and Hong Kong-based CDNs offer quick solutions, Direct Connect provides the most sustainable and compliant foundation for serious expansion into the Chinese market. We can help you by:

• Providing you with a free compliance assessment to ensure that your solution is compliant with Chinese law. This will determine what licenses (e.g., ICP Filing, MLPS Filing, PSB Filing, etc.) you will need to operate legally in China. We can also help obtain these licenses for you. 
• Establishing your proxy server in China
• Acting as your Chinese partner to set up a CDN
• Acting as your Direct Connect Partner in China

Contact us to deploy a suitable fix for your SaaS solution in China.