Chinese developers are climbing the firewall to pay more for GPT-5.6, and doing the maths on why

OpenAI's GPT-5.6 models, despite being blocked in mainland China and accessible only via VPNs, are favored by Chinese users who find their efficiency justifies the higher per-token cost compared to cheaper local alternatives like Zhipu's GLM-5.2 and DeepSeek V4. Analysis shows that GPT-5.6 uses significantly fewer tokens to complete tasks, making it more cost-effective overall despite higher token prices. This efficiency-driven approach is influencing enterprise purchasing decisions in China.