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  "path": "/zhouxia_qian_768284ca068e/how-to-use-chinese-llms-qwen-deepseek-glm-without-a-chinese-phone-number-1nep",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-24T09:32:56.000Z",
  "site": "https://dev.to",
  "tags": [
    "qwen",
    "tutorial",
    "api",
    "guide",
    "TokenMaster"
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  "textContent": "#  How to Use Chinese LLMs Without a Chinese Phone Number\n\nIf you've tried signing up for any Chinese AI service, you've seen the same message:\n\n> Please enter your phone number (+86) to receive a verification code.\n\nThis single requirement blocks most overseas developers from accessing some of the best-performing and most cost-effective LLMs on the market. This guide covers every workaround I've found — from least to most practical.\n\n##  The Problem\n\nChina's major AI labs produce world-class models:\n\n  * **DeepSeek** — DeepSeek V4-Pro matches GPT-4o within 3-5% on coding benchmarks\n  * **Qwen (Alibaba)** — Qwen 3.7-Max beats GPT-4o on long-context tasks (256K tokens)\n  * **GLM (ZhipuAI)** — GLM-4.5 is competitive with Claude for reasoning tasks\n  * **Baichuan** — Strong for Chinese-language generation\n\n\n\nBut every single one requires:\n\n  1. A +86 Chinese phone number for registration\n  2. Alipay or WeChat Pay for billing\n  3. Chinese-language documentation\n\n\n\n##  Method 1: Virtual Chinese Phone Numbers (Fragile)\n\nServices like SMS-activate and 5sim offer temporary Chinese phone numbers for ~$1-2.\n\n**The problem:** Chinese providers have gotten aggressive about flagging virtual numbers. Your account gets banned within days. You lose any balance you've added.\n\n❌ **Not recommended** — too unreliable for production use.\n\n##  Method 2: Third-Party Gateway Services (Recommended)\n\nThe most practical solution is a gateway that handles the China-side complexity for you. These services:\n\n  * Maintain their own Chinese accounts and infrastructure\n  * Register with real Chinese business entities\n  * Handle Alipay/WeChat billing on their end\n  * Expose everything through a standard OpenAI-compatible API\n\n\n\n**What this means for you:**\n\n  * Sign up with email (no phone number needed)\n  * Pay via Stripe or PayPal\n  * Get a standard API key\n  * Use the OpenAI Python/Node.js SDK as-is\n\n\n\n**Migration example (Python):**\n\n\n\n    # Before — can't access Chinese models at all\n    # client = OpenAI(api_key=\"...\")  # Only works for OpenAI\n\n    # After — full access to Chinese models\n    client = OpenAI(\n        base_url=\"https://api.tokenmaster.com/v1\",\n        api_key=\"tm-...\"\n    )\n    response = client.chat.completions.create(\n        model=\"deepseek-v4-pro\",\n        messages=[{\"role\": \"user\", \"content\": \"Hello!\"}]\n    )\n\n\nNo SDK changes. No VPN. No Chinese phone number. Just swap the base URL.\n\n##  Method 3: Direct Registration with Chinese Support\n\nSome providers like Alibaba Cloud's international portal offer English-language signup, but the model selection is limited and pricing is higher than domestic rates.\n\n**Qwen via Alibaba Cloud International:**\n\n  * ✅ English signup available\n  * ✅ Stripe payment\n  * ❌ Limited model selection\n  * ❌ 2-3x price markup vs domestic pricing\n\n\n\n**DeepSeek Direct:**\n\n  * ❌ No international portal\n  * ❌ +86 phone required\n  * ❌ Alipay only\n\n\n\n##  Cost Comparison\n\nAssuming 10M input + 2M output tokens per month:\n\nMethod | Monthly Cost | Setup Friction | Reliability\n---|---|---|---\nGPT-4o Direct | ~$38 | Low | High\nChinese LLMs via Gateway | ~$7 | Low | High\nVirtual Phone Numbers | ~$5 + risk of losing account | Medium | Low\nAlibaba Cloud International | ~$15-20 | Medium | Medium\n\n##  Available Models Through Gateways\n\nA good gateway will give you access to at least these models:\n\nModel | Family | Cost (Input/1M) | Key Strength\n---|---|---|---\nDeepSeek V4 Flash | DeepSeek | $0.18 | Speed + low cost\nDeepSeek V4-Pro | DeepSeek | $0.50 | Coding + reasoning\nQwen 3.7-Max | Qwen | $1.00 | Long context (256K)\nQwen 3.5-Flash | Qwen | $0.30 | High throughput\nGLM-4.5 | GLM | $0.80 | Reasoning\nGLM-4-Flash | GLM | $0.20 | Cost-effective\n\n##  Things to Watch For\n\nWhen evaluating a gateway for Chinese LLM access:\n\n  1. **Latency** : Most gateways use edge caching to keep latency under 100ms. Test with your workload.\n  2. **English quality** : Chinese models handle technical English well but can stumble on creative writing. Plan for a small GPT-4o fallback.\n  3. **Data handling** : Check if the gateway logs or stores your prompts. Some offer zero-retention policies.\n  4. **Rate limits** : Gateway rate limits are typically lower than direct API access. Fine for most side projects and small teams.\n\n\n\n##  Quick Start\n\nIf you want to try this today:\n\n  1. Sign up at a gateway like TokenMaster — email only, no phone\n  2. Get your free $2 trial credit (no credit card)\n  3. Install the OpenAI SDK: `pip install openai`\n  4. Change your base URL and start using Chinese models\n\n\n\n\n    pip install openai\n\n\n\n    from openai import OpenAI\n    client = OpenAI(\n        base_url=\"https://api.tokenmaster.com/v1\",\n        api_key=\"your-key-here\"\n    )\n    response = client.chat.completions.create(\n        model=\"qwen-3.7-max\",\n        messages=[{\"role\": \"user\", \"content\": \"Write a Python function to sort a list\"}]\n    )\n    print(response.choices[0].message.content)\n\n\n##  The Bottom Line\n\nThe +86 phone requirement is frustrating, but it's no longer a hard blocker. Gateway services have matured to the point where accessing Chinese LLMs from overseas is as simple as changing a base URL. Given the quality improvements and cost advantages, it's worth exploring — especially if your API bill is growing.\n\n_Not affiliated with any service mentioned. Just a developer who spent way too long dealing with this problem and wants to save others the headache._",
  "title": "How to Use Chinese LLMs (Qwen, DeepSeek, GLM) Without a Chinese Phone Number"
}