Can British mobile phone cards receive short messages in China?

Yes, British calling cards can make calls and send text messages in China, and they should use the network of China Mobile.

There are phone cards from different companies in Britain, which can be used when you return home.

But you should pay attention to the following points:

If it is a stored-value calling card, it should be recharged before returning to China to ensure that the mobile phone has a certain balance, so that it can roam in China.

If it is a monthly card, you'd better call the telephone company to remind you before returning to China, so that the general telephone company will not restrict the use (otherwise, sometimes the telephone company may mistakenly think that the calling card has been stolen). And it is said that some telephone companies have special discounts such as roaming, so you need to ask first.