International visitors can now use Chinese payment apps

Almost everyone in China now uses mobile payment apps instead of cash or cards to buy things. But international tourists have been unable to use these apps because they didn't have a Chinese bank account. That's now changing and visitors from abroad can now connect to China's Alipay and WeChat Pay. Shaanxi province is stepping up efforts to help them do that.

Open the payment app, scan the QR code, and you can complete the payment in just a few seconds. Sicily is a tourist from Mexico. And although she doesn't have a bank account in China, she can use her mobile phone to pay for even street snacks.

SICILY, a Mexican Tourist, said, "We bought small accessories like bracelets, earrings, rings, souvenirs and refrigerator stickers. In other countries, we need to swipe credit cards. But here I just need to put my phone on top. It's simple and easy."

Sicily says before she came to China, a Mexican tourism agency helped her download Chinese payment applications in advance and bind them with her Mexican bank card to help her shop in China. And Shaanxi province has also set up overseas guest payment service centers at key tourist hotspots to help visitors download the apps, bind cards or withdraw cash.

XIONG JUNNING, the Foreign Guest Payment Service Staff of Bank of Xi'an Advisory Center, said, "There are inquiries from foreign tourists every day. Many small merchants now allow payments using foreign bank cards, scanning the QR code of an app or using cash. More choices for payment means they are much more willing to spend money."

Xi'an's major key scenic spots, vacation areas, leisure blocks and hotels above 3-star level have completed the deployment of foreign bank card swiping POS machines and foreign currency exchange counters. Other cities in Shaanxi are also accelerating efforts to achieve full coverage within the province by the end of this year.