How to Access Chinese AI Models Without a Chinese Phone Number (2026)

Published July 20, 2026

Chinese AI models like DeepSeek V4 Pro, Kimi K3, and GLM-5.1 are among the most capable AI models available — but accessing them directly from outside China comes with frustrating barriers: Chinese phone numbers, Alipay/WeChat Pay, real-name verification, and sometimes VPN requirements. This guide shows you how to bypass all of that.

The Problem: Why Direct Access Is Hard

Here’s what you’ll encounter trying to register directly with each provider:

Even when you can register (like DeepSeek), topping up credits requires a Chinese bank account or Alipay. None of them accept USD, PayPal, or international cards.

The Solution: AIWave Unified API

AIWave solves every barrier:

• No Chinese phone — sign up with email, GitHub, or Discord
• No Chinese payment — PayPal and credit/debit cards accepted in USD
• No ID verification — no passport, no real-name auth
• No VPN — Singapore-hosted servers, globally accessible
• No separate accounts — one API key for all providers

Setup in 5 Minutes

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to aiwave.live/console and sign up with your email. You’ll get $1 credit automatically — enough to make thousands of API calls.

Step 2: Generate Your API Key

Navigate to API Keys in the dashboard and create a new key. Treat it like a password — never commit it to version control.

Step 3: Make Your First Call

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://aiwave.live/v1",
    api_key=os.environ["AIWAVE_API_KEY"]
)

# Test with DeepSeek V4 Pro
response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="deepseek-v4-pro",
    messages=[
        {"role": "user", "content": "Explain quantum computing in simple terms."}
    ]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

That’s it. No Chinese phone, no Alipay, no VPN. See our complete API documentation for advanced features.

Node.js / TypeScript Setup

import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: 'https://aiwave.live/v1',
  apiKey: process.env.AIWAVE_API_KEY
});

const response = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'deepseek-v4-pro',
  messages: [
    { role: 'system', content: 'You are a helpful coding assistant.' },
    { role: 'user', content: 'Write a TypeScript function to validate email addresses.' }
  ]
});

console.log(response.choices[0].message.content);

IDE Integration: Continue.dev

Want AI code completion in VSCode? Continue supports AIWave out of the box:

// ~/.continue/config.yaml
models:
  - title: DeepSeek V4 Pro
    provider: openai-compatible
    model: deepseek-v4-pro
    apiKey: YOUR_AIWAVE_KEY
    apiBase: https://aiwave.live/v1
tabAutocompleteModel:
  - title: DeepSeek V4 Flash
    provider: openai-compatible
    model: deepseek-v4-flash
    apiKey: YOUR_AIWAVE_KEY
    apiBase: https://aiwave.live/v1

Install the extension, paste the config, and you’re done. See our complete IDE setup guide for Cline and Cursor too.

Which Models Can You Access?

AIWave currently provides access to models from five major Chinese AI providers:

• DeepSeek — V4 Pro, V4 Flash (coding, reasoning)
• Moonshot (Kimi) — K3, K2.7 Code, K2.7 Code HighSpeed (long context, coding)
• Zhipu AI (GLM) — 5.1, 5, 4.7, 4.6, 4.5, 4.5-air (multilingual, general)
• Baidu (ERNIE) — 5.1, 4.0, Tiny 8K (Chinese NLP, enterprise)
• Alibaba (Qwen) — Coder 480B, Max, 3-8B (coding, general)

Check the full model list for availability and pricing page for up-to-date rates.

Why Developers Choose AIWave Over Direct Access

1. Payment flexibility — PayPal and international cards, priced in USD
2. Unified endpoint — switch between DeepSeek, Kimi, and GLM by changing one parameter
3. Auto failover — if one provider has issues, requests route to alternatives automatically
4. Transparent pricing — no hidden fees, no surprise invoices, real-time usage dashboard
5. OpenAI-compatible — your existing code works without modification

Common Questions

Do I need a VPN to use AIWave?

No. AIWave is hosted in Singapore and accessible globally without any VPN or proxy.

What payment methods do you accept?

PayPal and all major credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express). All pricing is in USD.

Is my data safe?

AIWave is a pass-through API gateway. We don’t store your prompts or responses. See our privacy policy.

Can I use the OpenAI SDK directly?

Yes. Just change the base_url to https://aiwave.live/v1. Everything else is identical.

Related Articles

• Top 10 Chinese AI Models Ranked (2026)
• Migrating from OpenAI to AIWave: Zero-Downtime Guide
• Chinese AI API Pricing Comparison (2026)