China is rolling out a new initiative to make payment services more seamless for international tourists visiting the country. On Monday, Chinese authorities introduced measures aimed at enhancing the mobile payment landscape for foreign travelers in eight major cities.
The State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Data Administration have jointly launched a pilot program in cities including Suzhou, Hangzhou, Jinan, Wuhan, Changsha, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Xi'an. This program is designed to streamline the process for over 11 million individual business entities—representing approximately 9.3% of the nationwide total—to obtain mobile payment codes that accept foreign credit cards.
With this initiative, mobile payment platforms will be better equipped to verify the information of these businesses, ensuring smoother transactions for tourists using international credit cards. This move comes as mainland China witnessed a significant uptick in inbound tourism, welcoming an estimated 95 million international visitors in the first nine months of this year—a 55.4% increase compared to the previous year, partly fueled by the country's expanded visa-free transit policy.
China's commitment to improving payment accessibility doesn't stop here. In March, the State Council released guidelines focused on optimizing bank card payment services, promoting the use of cash, and facilitating mobile payments. Building on these efforts, an April circular mandated that major tourist attractions across the Chinese mainland accept both domestic and foreign bank cards, further simplifying the financial experience for visitors.
These strategic measures highlight China's dedication to enhancing the travel experience for its growing number of international tourists, ensuring that payment services are both convenient and reliable.
Reference(s):
China launches pilot to enhance payment services for foreign travelers
cgtn.com
