Foreign VPNs generally work fine - especially if you use the direct IP address as opposed to the DNS name (eg vpn.com).

China's DNS is used to control and occasionally re-route outbound and inbound traffic. China's DNS services - frequently overloaded - as most of these systems were designed by westerners for westerners with western type traffic. China's net traffic is 5-10x more intense, conservatively guessing.

Next time your VPN refuses to connect - try connecting using the direct IP address (192.xxx.xxx.xxx) - if your service provider allows that kind of connection.

@rejected
You have a configured and working linux server at home? Impressive (bowing deeply in respect, reverence and awe)...

Sigh... The struggle is real... :-(

Express is down for me, has been unable to connect all day. Is this the same for all?

@John
Yes mine is down, and a friend here's too. Frustrating, as ever.

Mine is working and it's not Express.

@Liumingke1234 which VPN are you using?

..

My exp is down

There is new version for exp and it works.