BEIJING – China is blocking VPN services that let users skirt online censorship of popular websites such as Google and Facebook amid a wider crackdown on online information, tech companies and ...

China's Great Firewall currently blocks access to 135 of the world's top 1,000 websites and foreign firms must rely on VPN services to get around the country's restrictions in order to do business.

Currently, many foreign companies have their own VPN servers in locations outside of China. But in the future, dedicated lines can only be provided by China's three telecom operators.

Chinese VPN servers can help you break into the country’s intranet, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be likely to deal with some issues which might stand in the way of your unrestricted access.

The news regarding VPN services is only one aspect of a broader set of guidelines that China hopes will boost foreign direct investment (FDI) rates which are currently on the slide.

Yokubaitis said Golden Frog will file an appeal to Apple over the ban. China users with billing addresses in other countries will still be able to access VPN apps from other branches of the App Store.