Shanghai
What time is it in China
About Shanghai
Shanghai operates on UTC+8 year-round, with no daylight saving time. What time is it in Shanghai? The city is 12 hours ahead of New York. Check the live clock at the top of this page for the exact current time. Shanghai is a provincial-level direct-administered municipality in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025, thus making it China’s most populous city and, more broadly, the fifth-largest city in the world by population. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city.
Popular Time Differences
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is it in Shanghai right now?+
Shanghai follows China Standard Time (CST), which is UTC+8. You can check the exact current local time in Shanghai at the top of this page — it updates in real time.
What time zone does Shanghai use?+
Shanghai uses China Standard Time (CST), UTC+8. China operates on a single nationwide time zone, so Shanghai shares the same offset as Beijing, Shenzhen, and all other major Chinese cities.
Does Shanghai observe daylight saving time?+
No. China abolished daylight saving time in 1991. Shanghai stays on UTC+8 year-round, so there are no seasonal clock changes to account for.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and London?+
Shanghai (UTC+8) is 8 hours ahead of London when the UK is on GMT (winter), and 7 hours ahead when the UK switches to BST (summer). Shanghai's clocks never change, so the gap shifts only on the London side.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and New York?+
Shanghai is 13 hours ahead of New York during Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−5) and 12 hours ahead during Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−4). When it is 9 AM in New York (EST), it is 10 PM in Shanghai.
What is the time difference between Shanghai and Los Angeles?+
Shanghai is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles during Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC−8) and 15 hours ahead during Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−7). The two cities are nearly on opposite sides of the clock.
How does Shanghai's time compare to other Asian capitals?+
Shanghai (UTC+8) is in the same time zone as Singapore, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila. It is 1 hour behind Tokyo and Seoul (UTC+9), 2.5 hours ahead of New Delhi (UTC+5:30), and 1 hour ahead of Bangkok (UTC+7).