Firefox Is Leaving China… But Not Really

By Billy Jiang, July 30, 2025

Mozilla has officially announced that it will shut down all China-based operations related to Firefox by September 29, 2025.

But before you panic, here’s the key point: the browser itself isn’t going anywhere.

What’s ending is Mozilla’s localized business operations through its long-time partner Beijing Mozilla Online Ltd. (aka 'Beijing Firefox').

That means the Chinese-language Firefox website, the Firefox Passport account system, and the community forums will all be gone by the end of September this year.

Beijing Firefox announcement. Screenshot by That's

In a statement posted on its Chinese website, Mozilla said the two parties had reached an agreement back in May to end all use of Mozilla-authorized trademarks, domains, and service operations within China.

It’s a big move, but not a surprise—Firefox has been steadily scaling back operations in Asia since the pandemic, including closing its Taipei office in 2020.

Let’s break down what’s changing:

Immediately: No more downloads on the Chinese Firefox website.
Immediately: No new Firefox Passport accounts, and existing ones will be deleted on September 29, 2025.
Immediately: Posting and commenting on the community site is disabled.
September 29: Full shutdown of the Chinese site, forums, and Passport system.

For regular users in the Chinese mainland, the good news is: you can still use Firefox.

The global version will remain downloadable and will continue receiving updates, just without the China-specific support infrastructure.

Many Chinese users are actually celebrating the move, complaining that the localized version of Firefox had become bloated with ads and strayed too far from the clean, privacy-first experience it was once known for.

It’s also a sign of changing tides in the global browser market.

Firefox’s share has shrunk in recent years as Chrome and Edge dominate, but it still retains a loyal user base, especially among those who value open-source tech and privacy protection.

As Mozilla pivots to managing its China presence directly or via international partners, users may have to get used to a more global, less localized experience.

Whether this means a better Firefox or simply the beginning of its quiet fadeout in China—we’ll have to wait and see.

What is your favorite internet browser, and why? Share your experience in the comments below, and follow our WeChat official account, ThatsGBA, for the latest developments in China.

[Cover image via 第一财经]