Can an enterprise keep Sitecore and Vercel and still perform in China?
A publicly traded global enterprise on a composable DXP (Sitecore XM Cloud + Vercel/Next.js) kept its entire global operating model and fixed mainland China performance, blocked dependencies and compliance by adding the 21YunBox Optimizer as an overlay — no replacing Sitecore, no replacing Vercel, no fragmented local build. The architecture that made the site fast in China is the architecture that made it filable: one compliant delivery layer, not a separate "fast" path and "legal" path.
What the primary sources say
| Fact | Primary source |
|---|---|
| The Optimizer sat in front of the customer’s existing global origin: Sitecore XM Cloud remained the content source of truth and Vercel remained the global frontend, with China delivery added as a layer. | 21YunBox — China Website Optimizer |
| Blocked and degraded third-party dependencies (video delivery, forms/lead capture, consent management, on-site search) were handled through in-country delivery rather than by removing them from the stack. | 21YunBox — China Website Optimizer |
| A pre-existing ICP filing tied to a retired legacy setup had to be realigned to the new architecture, because the filing binds to how and from where traffic is delivered, not only to the domain. | Alibaba Cloud — ICP filing prerequisites |
Sources verified by the 21YunBox China engineering team on 2026-09-22.
Enterprise DXP in China, Without Rebuilding the Global Website
This case study demonstrates how the 21YunBox Optimizer helps global enterprises extend existing DXP and composable web architectures into Mainland China. By operating as an intelligent middleware layer, 21YunBox allowed a publicly traded global enterprise to maintain its existing CMS, frontend, and publishing workflows without building a disconnected local stack.
The Challenge: A Broken China Experience
The enterprise was migrating to a modern composable DXP built around Sitecore XM Cloud and Vercel. While the global platform performed perfectly in most markets, Mainland China traffic exposed severe architectural bottlenecks:
- Extreme Latency: Cross-border performance issues caused China page loads to exceed 40-45 seconds.
- Blocked Dependencies: Critical third-party services like Brightcove (video) and Marketo (forms) failed to load.
- Compliance Disconnect: The company’s existing China ICP filing was tied to a retired, legacy China-hosted setup and needed to be realigned with the new Vercel architecture.
The business objective was clear: Keep the global operating model intact. No replacing Sitecore, no replacing Vercel, and no fragmented China agency builds.
The Global Technology Environment
The site depended on a complex web of dynamic APIs, third-party scripts, and consent management frameworks. Every piece had to behave reliably for Mainland China users.
| Technology / Service | Role in the Website |
|---|---|
| Sitecore XM Cloud | Enterprise DXP/CMS and content platform |
| Vercel & Next.js / React | Global frontend deployment and application architecture |
| Brightcove | Video delivery and embedded media experience |
| OneTrust | Cookie consent and privacy preference management |
| Marketo | Forms and lead-capture workflows |
| Coveo | On-site search experience |
| ImageEngine | Image/media optimization and delivery |
| Google Analytics / GTM | Analytics and tag management |
The 21YunBox Approach
21YunBox deployed its managed China Website Optimizer as an overlay in front of the customer’s existing global origin. Sitecore XM Cloud remained the content source of truth, and Vercel remained the global frontend platform.
The 21YunBox layer provided:
- Dynamic Asset Optimization: Restoring application functionality for Marketo, Brightcove, Coveo, and OneTrust.
- Managed ICP Operations: Coordinating the China-side ICP filing workflow and domain support to align with the new infrastructure.
- Enterprise Security Readiness: Supporting managed WAF controls, TLS encryption, DDoS mitigation, and secure Mainland China testing.
The Results
By deploying the 21YunBox Optimizer, the enterprise successfully routed its global stack through the Great Firewall, achieving dramatic performance and operational improvements.
| Business Area | Before 21YunBox | After 21YunBox |
|---|---|---|
| Page Performance | 40-45+ second load times | Under 3 seconds |
| Forms & Lead Capture | Marketo forms failed to load | Lead-capture paths fully restored |
| Video & Media | Brightcove playback broken | Key video experiences restored |
| Campaign Conversions | China campaigns ineffective | Conversions tripled (3x) |
| Engagement | High bounce rates | Bounce rates reduced by 30% |
| Operations | Fragmented China agency build | One global workflow preserved |
The Key Takeaway: For enterprise teams searching for Sitecore XM Cloud China support, Vercel China performance, or composable DXP compatibility behind the Great Firewall, the practical pattern is to keep your global stack and add the 21YunBox Optimizer as your dedicated China delivery layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do enterprises have to abandon Sitecore or Vercel to work in China?
No. In this case the enterprise kept both. 21YunBox operated as an overlay in front of the existing origin, so the global CMS, frontend and publishing workflows stayed intact.
What breaks for a composable DXP in mainland China?
Cross-border delivery drives extreme page-load latency and causes dynamic dependencies — video, forms, consent, search — to fail independently behind the Great Firewall. In-country delivery of those paths is the fix.
How is compliance handled when keeping a global architecture?
In-country delivery is what makes the site fast and is also what the ICP filing attaches to, so the filing was realigned to the new delivery layer as part of the same project.
