TOPIC / MODELS

OpenClaw Chinese Model Providers

Use Coding Plan and regional providers in OpenClaw. Access DeepSeek, Zhipu GLM, Kimi, Tongyi Qianwen, and Volcengine Ark—and when to add OpenAI or Anthropic.

Best for

  • Mainly using OpenClaw in Chinese workflows
  • Care about regional model access and availability
  • Prefer an easier path to get feedback first

What is Coding Plan

Coding Plan refers to developer-focused tiers from major Chinese model vendors, typically offering higher API quotas and better pricing. For OpenClaw users who want to use regional models, it is often the most cost-effective entry point.

Major Chinese providers via OpenClaw

ProviderTypical use
DeepSeekCoding, reasoning, cost-effective
Zhipu GLMEnterprise docs, team collaboration
KimiLong context, document processing
Tongyi QianwenAlibaba ecosystem, DingTalk integration
Volcengine ArkByteDance ecosystem, Feishu integration

Configure DeepSeek in OpenClaw

After obtaining your API key from DeepSeek Platform:

openclaw config set model.provider deepseek
openclaw config set model.api_key sk-your-key-here
openclaw config set model.name deepseek-chat

Validate the setup:

openclaw config list
openclaw doctor

Run a quick test:

openclaw run --prompt "Introduce yourself in one sentence"

Choose by scenario, not ranking

Your main scenarioRecommended firstWhy
Feishu + Chinese docsVolcengine Ark / KimiFeishu integration, strong Chinese
DingTalk + Alibaba CloudTongyi QianwenNative DingTalk support
Code + technical tasksDeepSeekStrong coding and reasoning, low cost
Enterprise docs + teamworkZhipu GLMSolid API docs, enterprise support
Just get it workingAny you can access easilyA working model matters more than the “best” one

When to add international routes

If you already have a stable Chinese provider and start needing:

  • Stronger cross-language handling (English, Japanese, etc.)
  • Larger context windows
  • More complex reasoning chains
  • Fallback and multi-model routing

Consider adding OpenAI or Anthropic as complementary routes—you do not need them from day one.

Next steps

FAQ

Topic FAQ

No. Common benefits are easier API access, better Chinese-language workflows, and lower friction for team adoption.

Add OpenAI or Anthropic when you need stronger cross-language handling, larger context, or fallback chains.