Google Chat is a communication platform within Google Workspace, supporting 1:1 messages, group chats, and spaces for team collaboration. Integrated tightly with Gmail and Google Meet, it enables threaded conversations, file sharing, emoji reactions, and task assignments. It supports bots, webhooks, and third-party integrations, making it suitable for team productivity, workflows, and cross-functional project management. Enterprise features include compliance support, chat history, and admin controls. Unlike the consumer version of Google Hangouts, Google Chat is built for business environments.

Google Chat is completely blocked in mainland China. All endpoints, including web interface and mobile apps, are inaccessible. Attempts to use Chat within Gmail or Calendar also fail, breaking unified collaboration for users inside China. This impacts real-time project management, messaging, and bot-integrated workflows across teams. Domestic messaging alternatives like DingTalk, WeChat Work (企业微信), and Feishu have gained adoption due to compliance with local laws and enterprise-level controls. These platforms offer similar functionality, including bots and workflow integrations, but differ in UI paradigms and require phone verification. Developers should not integrate Google Chat APIs for products expected to function in China. Messaging systems with local hosting and cross-platform SDKs such as those from RongCloud or Agora provide viable technical substitutes for developers building in-app chat features.

The information regarding service availability in China is provided for general reference purposes only. Due to the dynamic nature of network conditions and regulatory environments, the actual accessibility of these services may vary over time and by location. Users are advised to verify the current status independently.