Legal & Policies

Privacy Policy

How we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit Hidden China — our travel inspiration platform for discovering authentic China.

Who We Are

Hidden China ("we", "us", or "our") operates the hiddenchina.com travel inspiration website (the "Service"). We are a content-focused travel guide — we do not sell tours, accept payments, or process bookings directly through this website. Our purpose is to help overseas visitors discover lesser-known destinations across China and prepare for their trips.

Information We Collect

Information You Voluntarily Provide

  • Feedback & Contact Forms: If you submit a message through our feedback widget, contact form, or testimonial submission, we collect your name, email address (optional), and the content of your message so that we can reply.
  • Testimonials: If you choose to submit a testimonial for publication, we collect your first name, nationality or home country, and the story text you approve.

Information Collected Automatically

  • Server Logs: Our web server temporarily records basic technical data such as your IP address, browser user-agent, referring URL, and pages requested. These logs are used only for troubleshooting, security, and aggregated traffic analytics. Logs are typically rotated and deleted within 30 days.
  • Cookies: We use a small number of cookies to remember your preferences (e.g., language or layout choices) and to understand aggregate site usage through privacy-friendly analytics. See our Cookie Policy for details.

How We Use Your Information

We use the limited information we collect to:

  • Respond to feedback, questions, and support requests you send us.
  • Improve our content, fix broken pages, and understand which destinations and guides are most useful to travelers.
  • Prevent abuse, spam, and security incidents on our systems.
  • Display testimonials you have explicitly agreed to share publicly.

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling. We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information to any third party for marketing purposes.

Who We Share Your Data With

We share your data only with trusted service providers that are strictly necessary to operate the website, and only under contract obligations that protect your privacy:

  • Hosting & Infrastructure: Servers located within mainland China that host the website, database, and backups.
  • Analytics Providers: Aggregated, privacy-friendly web analytics tools that do not identify individual users.
  • Anti-Spam Services: Tools that screen feedback form submissions to block spam and abuse.

We will also disclose data where required by Chinese law, court order, or binding government request — for example, to public security or customs authorities where legally mandated.

Data Retention

  • Feedback form submissions and support correspondence are kept for 24 months to handle follow-up conversations, then anonymized or deleted.
  • Published testimonials are retained until you request their removal in writing.
  • Server access logs are retained for a maximum of 30 days, then securely deleted.

Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to:

  • Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Request erasure of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
  • Object to or restrict certain processing activities.
  • Withdraw consent you previously gave us, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@hiddencn.com. We respond to all verifiable requests within 30 days.

International Data Transfers

Because our website and primary hosting infrastructure are operated within mainland China, the personal information you submit is processed and stored in China. China has its own data protection legal framework (including the PIPL and related regulations). Where we transfer data outside of China for any reason, we do so only after conducting a transfer impact assessment and using appropriate safeguards.

Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, contact us at privacy@hiddencn.com and we will promptly remove it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example to reflect legal changes or new features. When we do, the "Last Updated" date at the bottom of this page will be revised, and material changes will be announced with a notice banner on the website.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact:

Email: privacy@hiddencn.com 
Address: Hidden China Content Team, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Last Updated: August 2026