China News Service, Beijing, March 8 (Reporter Xia Bin) China's enthusiasm for expanding high-level opening-up can be felt in the details.
Making payments for foreigners in China more "smooth" is one of them.
"China is currently one of the countries with the highest payment convenience in the world, but the convenience of payment for foreigners in China needs to be improved." As China's mobile payment scene has become highly popular, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group Zhu Dingjian is concerned about how to make it equally convenient for foreign tourists visiting China to scan QR codes and pay.
To solve this problem, we saw practical measures during the National Two Sessions this year.
The government work report proposes to improve the convenience for foreigners to come to China to work, study, and travel.
On the 7th, the "Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Further Optimizing Payment Services and Improving Payment Convenience" were announced. Meeting the diverse payment service needs of foreigners in China is an important part of it.
On March 6, the second session of the 14th National People's Congress held an economic-themed press conference.
Photo by China News Service reporter He Penglai
Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, also promised at the press conference held during the two sessions that the central bank will work with relevant government departments, commercial banks, payment institutions, bank card organizations, etc. to improve the bank card acceptance environment, optimize cash payment services, and expand " Methods such as "outside card binding, outsourcing and internal use" and other methods improve the convenience of mobile payment, focus on key areas, places and merchants, and promote obvious results in a relatively short period of time.
By adopting the solution of “swiping cards for large amounts, scanning QR codes for small amounts, and paying with cash”, China is breaking down the barriers for foreigners to use mobile payments while also respecting their preference for using bank cards or cash.
An example is that China UnionPay has joined forces with overseas institutions to support the issuance of more than 200 overseas e-wallets, and has issued 230 million bank cards in more than 80 overseas countries. Cooperate with payment institutions to promote payment barcode interconnection.
China News Service reporters also learned that Alipay has also completed the increase and optimization of foreign transaction limits. The single transaction limit has been raised from US$1,000 to US$5,000, the annual transaction limit has been raised from US$10,000 to US$50,000, and the overseas wallet ride code "one New services such as "Code Pass" will also be launched one after another.
Alan Ni, CEO of TNG Digital, which owns Malaysia's largest e-wallet, said that the People's Bank of China has recently optimized payment services and enhanced payment convenience policies for foreigners in China, marking a huge leap in the facilitation of international payments.
For foreigners in China who are accustomed to using cash and bank cards, corresponding protection measures are also on the way.
The above-mentioned General Office of the State Council document mentioned that some places where foreigners in China are concentrated will be guided to add foreign currency exchange institutions and facilities and increase the number of convertible foreign currencies.
Guide business entities, especially those in transportation, shopping, catering, entertainment, tourism, accommodation and other livelihood and foreign-related fields, to publicly promise to collect cash and prepare change to meet cash use needs.
In addition, the document also requires local governments to focus on "food, housing, transportation, travel, shopping, entertainment, medical care" and other scenarios, identify key places and key merchant lists, and promote the acceptance of overseas bank cards.
"Providing more conveniences for foreigners coming to China and attracting more foreign tourists to use China as a tourist destination is an important part of high-level opening up." Jin Li, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice president of Southern University of Science and Technology, suggested that relevant departments Research and introduce more systematic measures to form a synergy to better meet the needs of foreign tourists and support high-level opening up.
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