How to watch Chinese TV and shows in New Zealand

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In short: if Yangshipin, iQIYI or Tencent Video tells you a show is “only available in mainland China” while you’re in New Zealand, install Homeway on your Android TV or box, phone or computer, light the moon gate and reopen the app. Samsung, LG and VIDAA-based Hisense TVs can’t run it, but a Google TV box plugged into the TV fixes that. New Zealand is 4–5 hours ahead of Beijing, so China’s evening broadcasts land late at night; if you miss them, watch the replay.

Time difference between New Zealand and Beijing

All of New Zealand (apart from the Chatham Islands) shares one time zone. Standard time is UTC+12, 4 hours ahead of Beijing. Clocks go forward an hour on the last Sunday of September (UTC+13) and back on the first Sunday of April, so for half the year the gap is 5 hours. Beijing is on UTC+8 all year with no daylight saving. The current daylight saving period runs from September 27, 2026 to April 4, 2027.

In other words, New Zealand sees China’s schedule flipped: evening broadcasts in China arrive in the middle of the night, while daytime programmes land in your afternoon and evening. The 2027 Spring Festival Gala starts at 1 a.m. on Saturday, February 6 in New Zealand, with the midnight countdown at 5 a.m. Stay up for it live if you like; otherwise watch the full replay in the video app when you wake up, and it works with Homeway just the same. Step-by-step instructions are in watching the Spring Festival Gala abroad.

Dramas don’t suffer from the time difference: an episode released at 8 p.m. in China is ready for you the next morning, just in time for breakfast.

International versions vs. the China versions

Some Chinese video apps have international versions for overseas viewers. They work in New Zealand without any help, but their catalogues differ from the China versions, and many dramas, variety shows and live channels simply aren’t there. The China versions have everything, but open one in New Zealand and you’ll often see “only available in mainland China”.

Homeway works with the China versions: Tencent Video, iQIYI, Mango TV, Youku, Bilibili, Yangshipin and Migu Video. The full list is on which apps Homeway supports. With Homeway on, you see the same catalogue as viewers in China. Members-only content still needs your own membership signed in to that app; Homeway lifts region restrictions but doesn’t include memberships.

Which TV or streaming box to use in New Zealand

Homeway’s TV app runs on Android TV and Google TV. Here’s how common TVs in New Zealand usually break down:

• TCL and Sony: most recent models run Google TV or Android TV, so you can install it directly.
• Hisense: many run VIDAA, which won’t work. Some models run Google TV, so check before you buy.
• Samsung and LG: Tizen and webOS can’t install third-party Android apps. See watching on Samsung and LG TVs.
• Sky boxes: set-top boxes from pay-TV providers generally can’t install third-party apps, so they won’t run Homeway.

To check your own TV, look at the home screen: if it says “Google TV” or you can open the Google Play Store, you’re good. Otherwise look under Settings, then About, for the system name.

Already own a Samsung, LG or VIDAA Hisense? No need to replace it. Buy a Google TV box (such as Chromecast with Google TV) from an electronics store or online, plug it into a spare HDMI port, and install Homeway and the video apps on the box. Look for “Google TV” or “Android TV” on the packaging.

Internet speed: fibre is plenty, watch the Wi-Fi

Homeway only relays a few requests such as playback authorization; the video itself streams straight from the server nearest to you rather than detouring through China, so picture quality depends on your home connection. As a guide, 1080p needs a steady 5 Mbps or more, and 4K needs 15–25 Mbps. Fibre is widespread in New Zealand’s towns and cities, and typical home fibre plans handle 4K comfortably. On rural wireless broadband or satellite, 1080p is usually fine.

If it does buffer, Wi-Fi is the usual suspect: a TV far from the router, behind a few walls. Run an Ethernet cable if you can, or add a mesh node. More fixes are in what to do about buffering.

Prices shown in US dollars

New users get a free 7-day trial on first sign-in, on TV, phone and computer, with no card required. After that you drop to the free plan, which you can keep using on one phone indefinitely. To watch on the TV, subscribe to Standard (2 devices) or Family (5 devices), billed monthly. There’s no separate New Zealand currency, so the pricing page shows prices in US dollars (USD).

Getting started on TV, phone or computer

Living-room TV or box

1. Search for “Homeway” in Google Play on the TV and install it. No Google Play? Enter homeway.tv/tv in a browser or downloader app. Full steps are in the TV install guide.
2. Open Homeway and scan the QR code on the TV with your phone to sign in.
3. Light the moon gate, then open CCTV’s TV app for live channels, or the TV apps of iQIYI, Tencent Video or Mango TV for dramas.

Phone

On Android, follow the Android install guide; on iPhone, download it from the App Store. Sign in, light the moon gate, then open the China versions of iQIYI, Tencent Video or Mango TV, and the shows that were region-locked will play.

Computer

On Windows, install the Windows app. On a Mac, or if you’d rather not install software, use the browser extension for Chrome, Edge or Firefox and watch Yangshipin, iQIYI, Tencent Video and other sites right in the browser.

Related: watching CCTV live abroad, which apps Homeway supports, fixing “only available in mainland China”, the Australia guide, guides for other countries.

Try Homeway

Free for 7 days for new users, no card required, on your TV, phone and computer in New Zealand.