DeepSeek and Qwen in Cursor — from China to production
Developers in China can connect Cursor, Claude Code, and Windsurf to DeepSeek R1 and Qwen3 models through TheRouter's OpenAI-compatible API. China-region infrastructure (rolling out via SiliconFlow) targets low latency from mainland China. DeepSeek R1 reasoning_content is preserved end-to-end. One API key covers all models.
Chinese developers can connect Cursor, Claude Code, and Windsurf to DeepSeek R1, Qwen3 Coder, and other models through TheRouter. China-region infrastructure integration is rolling out (via SiliconFlow), targeting low-latency access to open-weight models at a fraction of Bedrock's cost.
Best models for vibe coding through TheRouter
DeepSeek R1
deepseek/deepseek-r1Best for complex reasoning, debugging, architecture decisions. Exposes chain-of-thought in reasoning_content.
Qwen3 Coder 480B
qwen/qwen3-coder-480bAlibaba's largest coding model. Specialized for code generation, refactoring, and multi-file edits.
DeepSeek V3.2
deepseek/deepseek-v3.2Fast, cost-efficient general-purpose model. Great for code completion, documentation, and chat.
Qwen3 Coder 30B
qwen/qwen3-coder-30bLightweight coding model for fast completions. Good for autocomplete and small edits.
Prices shown are launch-time figures; see each model page for the current billed rate.
Connect Cursor in 2 minutes / 两分钟接入 Cursor
1. Get your API key
Sign up at dashboard.therouter.ai and copy your API key.
2. Configure Cursor
Open Cursor → Settings → Models → Add Custom Model:
Base URL: https://api.therouter.ai/v1 API Key: <your TheRouter key> Model: deepseek/deepseek-r1
3. Start coding
Select deepseek/deepseek-r1 (or any other model) in Cursor. TheRouter routes to the cheapest healthy provider automatically, with China-region infrastructure rolling out for lower latency and cost.
Common questions
Which coding tools work with TheRouter for DeepSeek and Qwen?
Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Cline, Continue, and any tool that supports an OpenAI-compatible base URL. Set the base URL to api.therouter.ai/v1 and your TheRouter API key.
Does DeepSeek R1 work in Cursor with chain-of-thought visible?
Yes. TheRouter preserves the reasoning_content field from DeepSeek R1 end-to-end. Coding tools that display thinking steps will show the full chain-of-thought.
Why is China-region routing relevant for coding?
China-region infrastructure (such as SiliconFlow, whose integration is rolling out on TheRouter) publishes significantly lower latency and pricing for developers in mainland China than routing through US-based Bedrock alone.
Can I switch between DeepSeek and Claude without reconfiguring Cursor?
Yes. Configure Cursor with TheRouter once. Then switch models by changing the model name in Cursor settings — claude-sonnet-4-6, deepseek/deepseek-r1, qwen/qwen3-235b, etc. TheRouter handles the routing transparently.