China to COT
-13hChina
CSTSOURCECOT
COTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
CST and COT on the World Map
The map below highlights the CST (China Standard Time) and COT (Colombia Time) timezone regions across the globe.
CST – China Standard Time
UTC+08:00China Standard Time (CST) covers all of mainland China, 8 hours ahead of UTC.
- •China uses a single time zone despite spanning 5 geographical zones.
- •In Xinjiang (western China), sunset can be as late as midnight in summer.
- •China abolished daylight saving time in 1991.
- •The Shanghai Stock Exchange operates on CST/Beijing Time.
COT – Colombia Time
UTC-05:00Colombia Time (COT) is the standard time for Colombia, 5 hours behind UTC.
- •Colombia does not observe daylight saving time.
- •COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
- •Bogotá sits at 2,640m elevation, making it one of the highest capital cities.
Everything You Need to Know About China and COT Time
China runs on China Standard Time (CST) at UTC+08:00. COT runs on Colombia Time (COT) at UTC-05:00. That puts China 13 hours behind COT — a difference of -13h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in China it is 8:00 PM in COT on the previous day. Midnight in China is 11:00 AM in COT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
China to COT time conversion table
| China (CST) | COT (COT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:00 AM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 PM | previous day |
| 7:00 AM | 6:00 PM | previous day |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 PM | previous day |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 PM | previous day |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 AM | same day |
Why people convert China to COT time
- Scheduling a call from China to COT: a 10:00 AM start in China lands at 9:00 PM in COT the previous day, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Handling a -13h gap: China and COT have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in COT is 8:00 PM in China.
- Watching a live event or market open: China viewers need 8:00 PM in COT to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 1:00 PM if the event is anchored to China.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM CST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -13h gap is not.
- With a -13h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week China takes the early slot, the next week COT does.
About CST (China Standard Time)
China Standard Time (CST, also known as Beijing Time) is used across all of mainland China despite the country spanning five geographical time zones. This single-timezone policy was adopted in 1949. China does not observe daylight saving time. CST is shared with Hong Kong (HKT), Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, making UTC+08:00 one of the most used offsets in the world.
About COT (Colombia Time)
Colombia Time (COT) is used throughout Colombia. Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT shares the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00). Bogotá, the capital, is one of the largest cities in South America.
Best time to call between China and COT
With a -13h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. COT opens at 9:00 AM COT, which is 8:00 PM in China, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.
Business hours overlap
China and COT have no shared working hours because of the -13h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.
China is 13 hours behind COT (CST UTC+08:00 → COT UTC-05:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between China and COT?
China (CST, UTC+08:00) is 13 hours behind COT (COT, UTC-05:00). The gap is currently -13h.
How do I convert China time to COT time?
Add -13h to China local time. For example, 9:00 AM in China is 8:00 PM in COT (previous day).
What time is it in COT right now?
COT uses COT at UTC-05:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -13h offset from China.
What is the best time to call COT from China?
There is no shared working-hours window because of the -13h gap. The closest option is 1:00 PM in China, which is 12:00 AM in COT.
Which is behind, China or COT?
China is 13 hours behind COT. When it is 12:00 PM in China it is 11:00 PM in COT.
Do China and COT use different time zones?
China (China) uses CST at UTC+08:00, while COT uses COT at UTC-05:00. The IANA identifiers are Asia/Shanghai and America/Bogota.
Does daylight saving time affect the China–COT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -13h offset between China and COT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share China's time zone?
CST also covers Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong, Taipei, Wuhan and 2 more.
Which countries use CST, China's zone?
CST is used in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.
Is there a day difference between China and COT?
Sometimes. The -13h gap is large enough that 8:00 PM or later in China already falls on the in COT.
What is the time difference between China and COT?
COT is -13h from China.
What timezone is China in?
China operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is COT in?
COT operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use CST (China Standard Time)?
CST is used in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan.
Does CST observe daylight saving time?
No, CST does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+08:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about CST?
China uses a single time zone despite spanning 5 geographical zones. In Xinjiang (western China), sunset can be as late as midnight in summer.
Which cities are in the COT timezone?
Major cities in the COT timezone include Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena.
What is the UTC offset for COT?
Colombia Time (COT) is at UTC-05:00.
What should I know about the COT timezone?
Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
When is it midnight in China, what time is it in COT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in China (CST), it is -13h later in COT (COT).
Related Developer Tools
Explore more tools that work great with timezone conversions for international teams:
Related Timezone Conversions
More China time conversions
- china to shanghai
- china to beijing
- china to new york
- china to london
- china to dubai
- china to tokyo
- china to singapore
- china to sydney
- china to los angeles
- china to paris
- china to delhi
- china to mumbai
- china to berlin
- china to hong kong
- china to toronto
- china to kathmandu
- new york to china
- london to china
- dubai to china
- tokyo to china
- singapore to china
- sydney to china
- los angeles to china
- paris to china
- delhi to china
- mumbai to china
- berlin to china
- hong kong to china
- toronto to china
- kathmandu to china
See every conversion from China →·See every conversion from COT →