“Seamless” Payments Surprise Foreigners

“Watching the night scenery on the Bund in Shanghai,city or not city?” “A genuine Chongqing hotpot, so city!” … Whether it’s strolling along the Bund in Shanghai or exploring the “magic” city of Chongqing, the phrases “city or not city” (isn’t it exciting) and “so city”(so exiting) has become an exclamation of admiration among many foreign friends visiting China, reflecting the culture, vitality, and charm of Chinese cities.

China has expanded the scope of it’s 72/144-hour transit visa-free policies from November 17, 2023, attracting numerous foreign tourists to China for sightseeing and sharing their experiences on social media. Today, these foreigners are queuing up in Beijing to taste roast duck, and a few days later, they are riding shared bicycles in Shanghai, making the phrase “city or not city” in Chinese-style English and “China Travel” become a hit online, carrying meanings such as “urbanized” “trendy” “novel” and even “exciting”.

John and his wife, from Ireland, have also eagerly embarked on a spontaneous trip to China. “As soon as we arrived at Chongqing JiangBei Airport, we discovered the payment service center. We exchanged some cash and the staff helped us download Alipay and WeChat, and bind our credit cards with those apps,” John excitedly shared their real experience with author upon arriving in China. “I visited China six years ago, and I couldn’t believe how convenient the payment methods have become this time, there’s been great change.”

Upon arriving at the airport, John and his wife set off without a moment’s delay to check off various tourist attractions, capturing their “magic” journey in Chongqing through their camera: watching the overhead train glide through the buildings in a scene straight out of a martial arts movie, feeling a sense of futurism; traversing the “cyberpunk city” at night, experiencing the “8D” geographical features; exploring the bustling and safe night streets, taking on the challenge of the much-anticipated Chongqing hotpot… From a tech-savvy vibe to a sense of security, the modern infrastructure and friendly city environment provided John and his wife with a direct and immersive “City” experience.

Walking through the various commercial areas and tourist attractions around the Liberation Monument in Chongqing, John and his wife noticed that the front desk of many shops prominently displayed English signs detailing different payment methods for foreign tourists. Upon presenting their credit cards and just touching the POS machine at the checkout, soon John purchased several panda souvenirs. With the sound of a QR code scan, John paid for the zoo admission, ready for an “intimate contact” with the pandas… In Chongqing, John and his wife experienced a variety of “user-friendly” payment methods, including cash, card, and mobile payments, truly feeling the diversity and convenience of Chinese payment systems. 

Just as the open and inclusive policy of visa-free entry has impressed foreign visitors like John and his wife, the optimization of China’s domestic payment environment for foreign friends has also left a deep impression. In recent years, China’s mobile payment has developed rapidly, with many people accustomed to the phrase “a phone in hand, traveling all over the world”. However, elderly people and other groups still prefer cash payments, and some foreign visitors are not accustomed to or adapted to using mobile payments. In March this year, in order to better meet the diverse payment service needs of groups such as the elderly and foreign visitors in China, promote the parallel development and mutual supplementation of mobile payment, bank card, and cash payment methods, the State Council issued the “Opinions on Further Optimizing Payment Services and Enhancing Payment Convenience”, emphasizing the need to “provide even better, more efficient, and more convenient payment services for groups such as the elderly and foreign visitors in China.”

In this context, financial institutions and relevant departments continue to facilitate the smooth use of card, code, and coin, establishing a comprehensive payment system of “Large card payments, mini QR code payments, and cash as a backup.” They have taken multiple measures to improve the payment service level for overseas personnel. On one hand, under policy promotion, the realization of “Foreign Card Binding Inside ” and “Outsourcing Inside Use” further connects domestic and international payment channels. On the other hand, commercial banks have also launched standardized and diverse RMB cash “Change Wallet” products, allowing foreign tourists to experience mobile payments while easily making purchases with foreign cards or cash. For example, Agricultural Bank of China has continuously facilitated the exchange of small notes at its branches this year, actively customizing “Change Wallet” for large supermarkets, convention clients, and small and medium-sized merchants. Through the “bringing in” and “going out” small note services, the bank has improved the cash payment experience for the elderly and overseas visitors in China. As of now, Agricultural Bank of China has distributed more than 195 million pieces of “Change Wallets”, with a total value of 597 million yuan.

To enhance the tourist experience, continuously clearing payment “bottlenecks” and thinking one step ahead in detail demonstrate China’s hospitality and guest retention stratagy. As an increasing number of foreign visitors come to China for tourism and living, it is anticipated that there will be more exclamations of “so city” echoing through the streets and alleys of China.