International actors have played an important role in strengthening civil societies across the world. Yet, restrictions on civil society promoting activities have been intensifying in a variety of host countries, including China. This dissertation explores how international actors deal with the intensified restrictions in China when engaging with the local civil society sector. It focuses on two international non-governmental organizations in China: the Ford Foundation and Oxfam Hong Kong. The dissertation analyzes how the two organizations have developed new modes of promoting civil society in China as the country turned more restrictive in 2013 under the new political leadership. Based on the analysis of primary documents and in-depth interviews, this dissertation reveals the complexity and nuances of the responses that international actors have made in China. They have responded in different types (counteraction, evasion, strategic adaptation, or compliance) and along different dimensions (discourse, program profile, or organizational arrangements). The dissertation offers new insights into the dynamic nature and resilience of civil society promotion in restrictive environments, opening new avenues of research for students interested in transnational activism, global governance, development assistance, international norm diffusion, and beyond.