Wouldn't US ban US citizens from using it as another National security Issue .. US senators will come out to ban it or sell to American companies ..😂😂😂😢😢😮😮😅😅
I ran into the same issue with Beidou maps during my last trip to China (pre-COVID). I ended up using the DiDi ride-hailing app for navigation as its map was in English.
If you are worried about your criminal mind then better you stay in USA but sooner or later there will be a policeman knocking on your door. Have you thought of visiting a medical professional😊@@MrPbandasak
I have added wechat and alipay payments on my phone. I will be going to china in 2 weeks. I look forward to see wechat and alipay will work. Fingers crossed. Love from Canada.
How much balance do you have? If its 0 then it will not work. It will work as a credit card provided the merchant accepts credit card. If they do not, then you need to have a non zero balance. I arrived last week and have been using CASH. I exchanged at the airport. There is not issue with using cash in china. I did setup alipay just in case merchant lacks change they could alipay into my alipay wallet. However so far, I havent found a need for this.
Some apps not just need eloctronic payments but also that the app is connected to a Chinese ID like ordering food in a train or for some tickets. Maybe here there will be an international passport be accepted in the near future. But I'm very happy to see the develoment.
It's not just payments, I found it difficult to find AA batteries in Jiangmen. The younger clerks didn't even know what they are. China is already in the future.
Maybe it's because the translator didn't work well. I just checked Google Translate, and it couldn't translate AA batteries into Chinese correctly. AA batteries are called 五号电池 not AA电池 in Chinese, and are actually easy to find in convenience stores and supermarkets in China.
Newer does not mean better. I always see Asian people holding up the queue trying to use a payment app because they don't have data or service or money. Then they have to flash their screen at the cashier to prove they paid. Also, when you open the app you get bombarded with advertisements on the front page. How is that better than a bank card?
BoC should develop a product something like visitor (temporary) rechargeable debit card, buy it, scan and store it in an app, then go and live. It should offer to visitors online before they arrive.
It’s not true that China is cashless. Lots of places, especially small roadside stores, not only accept but prefer cash. But it certainly is moving away from cash. There are advantages and disadvantages to that, depending on who you are and where you buy things. I always have cash available when I’m there, but it is true that most larger stores and restaurants and hotels etc prefer direct payment
I saw another video this couple cannot connect to the app to pay, they ended up paying in cash and the small store accepted it. So cash still works in some places just not everywhere.
I am Chinese and I am responsible for what I say. I live in a fifth-tier city in China. People in all shops including small stalls prefer to pay electronically instead of cash.
Also , China government needs to open a new department and 24/7 hotline to take care all foreign visitors matters! Good Hospitality wins traveler’s hearts!
China is a beautiful country . People are warm and welcoming. I have been there twice and always enjoyed myself. This is a good channel to get the Chinese perspective.
It’s about time China did this. BTW western countries are largely cashless as well now. I haven’t used cash for a long time. The difference is that countries like the USA have been using credit cards for decades and are comfortable in that, though there is a slow movement toward direct payments via phone apps. China never developed a credit card system to speak of so it went directly to direct payment systems. I’ll be in China this summer and I’m delighted this barrier to foreigners has been taken down. I’m not too worried about security since most credit cards will cancel purchases you say you didn’t make and you won’t have to pay anything.
I am really impressed by the measures the respective Chinese authorities and business leaders have taken and their responsiveness to foreign tourist's needs. I will be visiting China for the first time in November and am already planning another trip in February 25. The 15 day visa free visit makes it easy.
The problem is if a shady merchant or someone took a picture of your QR code then they can swipe all the money out of your card. On the phone it changes the QR code for every transaction.
I tried to change some old yuan at a bank about 5 years ago and the staffs don’teven recognize their currency that they have to call a higher positioned staff to help out
Cash- government lose tax revenue! Thats why in U.K. we moan we have poor public services, hospital overcrowded. Because businesses still take cash and this is easy to avoid or evade taxes especially VAT!!
@@botakkawasiki8775I still remember in the old days, some elderly dig a hole in their backyard and put their stash there. They don't trust the bank, they think the bank steal their money. 😂
Banks are puppets of the government. They can freeze your account for anything. Truckers in Canada learned a hard lesson. Globally, Government debt should be crime.@@sola4393
There is no doubt that we need to move forward as fast as we can couple with, but at the same time, there should not be any major inconvenience as byproducts created in the forward rush for outside visitors. We need to strike a balance between these two constantly.
Yes, please make it easy to put foreign bank cards on Wechat and Alipay. Also, please have the Chinese navigation and transport apps in English and other languages. 👍🇦🇺
I downloaded both aliepay and wechat here in the US (because I planned to travel to China), but I couldn't use the apps... also, they're in Chinese. China needs to do its parts first
Please make an English language front end for China's most popular payment app, that can be downloaded *before* ones trip to China and which you can cannect your foreign payments cards / bank accounts to. Please also put step by step demos on youtube of how to set it up and pay with it.
All they have to do is have money change kiosks at the airport and bank locations everywhere where visitors download the approved app tied to your passport and foreign cash can be exchanged and the electronic balance uploaded to the visitor e-wallet. Then it can be just a simple pay as you go system. With no confusion. Why does it have to be so difficult for so many years?
People worry about credit card security. So it is easier to start with just balance with no credit card linkage. Top up when needed. They can link their credit cards when they feel comfortable.
The point is to always have options for different needs, By all means, go cashless for the local population. But also have cash payment options for visitors. The downside to everything digital is when the website is down or there's an outage, it still falls back on cash. WeChat is tied to a local bank a/c and Alipay works at times, at times don't. And then most other apps like Whatsapp, TH-cam, FB use mostly by international visitors become unavailable unless you download a VPN. Also not all VPNs work seamlessly in China. Navigating around which VPN works or doesn't work is another hassle. That's why international tourists are not that many in China. Language of course is another barrier, although translation apps help a bit, but not all the times.
Don’t need credit card in app, cost 3% fees. Get Chinese friends to top up then transfer money directly to their bank accounts, usually no fees transfer.
Think this is what happens: In China, US card companies like Visa, Mastercard charge higher merchant fees than their local competitors like UnionPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay, there may even be an additional fee for cards issued outside of China. This is the main reason local merchants refuse to accept them. So as a compromise, Visa/MasterCard charge the fee to the user/cardholder, as Alipay and WeChat Pay most likely also refused to pay the high processing fee.
Every person young or old in Asia have a mobile device. Not so for the average American. To go all out on digital & cashless scares the hell out of them...
The reality is China is not foreign friendly and the more you go out of the major cities the more difficult it becomes for travelers because of language barriers . Fast food chains are basically unusable for visitors as app pay is required and you need to scan the menu to order . Hiring umbrellas ,bikes, phone battery ect is also impossible if it requires scanning. Fix is on arrival / at any money exchanges have the option to set a up a visitors wechat account where they can deposit money via cash / debit/ credit card onto the app, show them how to use it. Once the visit ends they can withdraw any unused money . And explain to visitors that cash / foreign cards are a bad payment option as basically Alipay and wechat are the preferred payment options
cash is king, china should never abandon it. it was the chinese invented the printing. why not both cash and digital payments. it is terrible in london for travel, not toliet, transport is running by member ship card, parking is not accepting cash. using cash is a win win for all. sure the chinese local can use their system but cash should be good idea and good for economy printing money is an industry it self
Don't be lame. Paper cash is the basic for every country no matter how advanced the payment systems are. Paper currency is legal tender. Before you buy something in China, always ask the shop if they accept paper cash. This is in case your payment apps cannot work, you still have paper cash to pay. This has been consistent in China all the time, so stop fabricating stories about Chinese govt policies. 😂
Interesting. Shows the convenience of one app to rule them all. Does raise all sorts of questions around ownership and public vs private models of governance.
3% transaction fee for amount over 30US$ is quite expensive, plus the 2.5% of foreign exchange fee, therefore 5.5 percent extra fee to use wechat pay etc.
i would prefer a direct way to top up an e-wallet. using banks is one more entity i need to deal with. if telecom companies can offer a sim card which serve as an e-wallet, that would be more direct since alot of chinese app requires a chinese number anyway.
As a Chinese Canadian, I watched a youtube tutorial to get set up on Alipay but then realized when I got to China that it's limited to 100 RMB per transaction - also none of my Canadian credit cards worked. So basically my relatives had to pay for everything which was really lame.
I use Alipay linked to foreign credit card. In November when I traveled in China. A lot of second tier city restaurants do not accept my Alipay. I suppose these establishments do not accept credit cards.
@@jinifith Shortage of taxis? Not. I see dozens of them waiting in line in designated spots. Didi is not technically illegal either. The Didi app was illegal. Didi, China’s largest ride-hailing service, continues to fall into deeper trouble with Chinese regulators. The Cyberspace Administration of China on Sunday banned Didi from app stores after saying it posed a cybersecurity risk for customers. “Didi Chuxing app is found to have severely violated the laws by illegally collecting and using personal information,” the regulator said. It called on Didi to fix the issue with its app to comply with the country’s laws and to ensure its customers’ safety. China lifts 18-month ban on new Didi users as tech crackdown wanes By Julie Zhu and Yingzhi Yang January 16, 2023
being english i have alipay connected to my credit card but can not get wechat pay in the uk which i find annoying when i come to China to vist my in-laws
@@laurazheng8057 I had wechat for a long time, but then it said I can't use it again until I update, and it wouldn't let me update. I tried hard in various ways over weeks. So I gave up, I will not try again. Not ever.
Are you still literally using 'paper' cash or ... by 'cash', do you mean credit card? That is, what's the difference with scanning with a phone instead?
@@sarahlee9979by saying no cards, i meant no credit cards. Only a bank card, and crypto, no need trash cards. Nor to be monitored by what i buy or eat.
... cash less it's a must go... but foreign coming might b issues bcos... WiFi connection 2 triggered apps might b 1 issue...s... certain cards issues could b use... only...
Dont wreck your brains trying to set these up. Just use cash. I arrived in china last week and I have had no issues paying with cash. The payment is gladly accepted. 2 instances where the seller did not have change but he was able to get help and got change before I even finished my food. If you attempt to e pay, you likely will be able to link your credit card to alipay. However you do not have the wallet feature which means most merchants will not be able to process your payment unless they accept credit cards. So to make things simple, just pay with cash.
Getting people to adopt credit card terminals will never work, no matter how cheap it is. It just isn't optimal for street vendors, wet markets, and other less formal business venues popular in Asia. Meanwhile, phones are already always in everyone's hand. These apps will even work with just a QR code printed on a sign or lanyard. A separate card terminal you have to charge, lug around, and find a space to put it, isn't worth the hassle for the off-chance a tourist come around.
20 sec? B*S. For a tourist, it'll take much longer than that and frustration. After one has set up, it's limited to something like RMB2,500 (some amount). How can this be enough for tourists?
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants. Its very difficult to use China apps and China payment machines if you are not very fluent in Chinese language. 2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels. It would be wonderful if foreigners are allowed to stay in all the same hotels as local China people. Its also good if China allow foreign tourists to rent the residential house or apartment or room from China people. 3) China should allow foreigners to set up their China apps a few weeks in advance BEFORE they travel to China, rather than only allowing them to set up and configure everything in a rush when they arrive at airport in China 4)China should allow foreigners to access China apps and China websites and social media websites and China dating websites even if they dont have China telephone sim cards. Some foreigners tried to use many China apps but not possible because they dont have China telephone sim card . 5)China apps and websites should allow even people who have no China friends to join in the apps and China websites because some apps dont allow foreigners to join in, unless if they already have China friend so this makes it so difficult to even get in the door in first place .
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants. I use Chinese apps and they have English options. I even have a Chinese app that translates Chinese to English to Chinese in spoken and written languages. Even translates most world languages including Japanese, Korean, Thai, German, French from Chinese to their native language. 2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels. That does not happen much any more but not all of them can host foreigners because they don't have the equipment to scan passports or the hotel employees don't have the required language skills, The majority of the time, if the hotel is listed in English on booking sites, foreigners are legally allowed to stay there. 4)China should allow foreigners to access ............... and China websites and social media websites. I can access those sites but the thing is they are in Chinese and I cannot read Chinese so it is pointless.
In China, it is illegal for merchants not to accept cash payments. Any business that doesn't accept cash, you can call 110 for the police to come and deal with it
Too bad China makes payment unacceptable to outsiders. That is why vacationers are down over 60% from 2019. If they don't open up, China will keep losing business.
All sounds good and easy until you get home to find out the credit card charges are astronomical for foreign usage. Some cards have extra charges per transaction and what about the poor exchange rates!!! Just watch out - it's not as EASY!!!
Most travel cards don't have foreign transaction fees. That should not be an issue. But I think there is a charge for foreign card on WeChat and Alipay. But that is still less than sale tax you pay in the states. So I would not call it astronomical since everything in China in general is cheaper.
QR codes are not user friendly. Always having to open the app and use the camera makes payments slow. Using the hand palm is a big step forward. Normal bank cards are still more user friendly than an app on the phone and scanning QR codes.
Not big issue. I´m. quicker to pay with the QR Code, than a credit card or let the cashier scan me. The credit card need more time to type the PIN first.
The cashless transaction in China and USA is stalled or advanced by the big banks. For decades China big banks and U.S. big banks can’t agree on sharing the transaction fees. The problem has never been about technology. It has always been about the money. VISA and MC want access to China’s one billion customers while Chinese credit card companies want access to the US market. Each proposed an expedient fee formula that safeguards their domestic market share. In a perfect financial world the competition between US and China banks will lower the cost of cashless transactions.
Find it very funny whereby you carry paper RMB into China as a foreign tourist and then told by locals they are not accepting their own paper cash. Paper RMB becomes toilet paper? I still have 15-20K of paper RMB from previous visits
Interestingly, Visa/MasterCard had better acceptance in China before, which is to say, China has successfully managed the kick them out the Chinese market.
It is the same in China. The law states that payment in Cash cannot be denied. Maybe there are smaller traders such as those in the rural areas that won't accept cash but they break the law and can be fined for refusal.
Vendors are legally obliged to accept cash (since it is legal tender), but some may not have enough cash change for you since cashless payments are so common.
I’m sorry but this conversation is completely confusing to anyone who doesn’t know about electronic payments in China. I would have started saying in China >90% people use no cash but only two apps to pay for everything-Alipay and Wechat which they can download on their phones. They pay by scanning QR codes at the stores, in the restaurants or in the taxis. (Don’t expect people already know these, they don’t) They need to how to link their credit cards step by step, and what type of credit cards, what are the fees etc.
CGTN need to do a segment illustrating WeChat app and AliPay app for dummy. I think the On Point segment is just interview or discussion only. And I do agree it is confusing for people never heard of those app.
I believe in China they are linked to their banks. There are no fee. I think they are more like ATM card. This was the problem before because you have to have a Chinese bank account. Now they allow people to link to their foreign credit cards. There are other ways to do this if you live in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants. Its very difficult to use China apps and China payment machines if you are not very fluent in Chinese language. 2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels. It would be wonderful if foreigners are allowed to stay in all the same hotels as local China people. Its also good if China allow foreign tourists to rent the residential house or apartment or room from China people. 3) China should allow foreigners to set up their China apps a few weeks in advance BEFORE they travel to China, rather than only allowing them to set up and configure everything in a rush when they arrive at airport in China 4)China should allow foreigners to access China apps and China websites and social media websites and China dating websites even if they dont have China telephone sim cards. Some foreigners tried to use many China apps but not possible because they dont have China telephone sim card .
All Chinese international airports should open desks and help foreigners set up Chinese paying Apps.
this
It’s a good idea 👍🏼
Yes that would be helpful
Yes, please.
Wouldn't US ban US citizens from using it as another National security Issue ..
US senators will come out to ban it or sell to American companies ..😂😂😂😢😢😮😮😅😅
Ok, I'm going again. Already using most systems, happy to hear improvements are coming, too!!
It's even better for outsiders to visit China if English language is included on Beidou map. So, foreigners can use Beidou map to navigate in cities.
Ah.... my idea of a one universal language isn't so bad after all 😊.
I ran into the same issue with Beidou maps during my last trip to China (pre-COVID). I ended up using the DiDi ride-hailing app for navigation as its map was in English.
@@peaceleader7315 - Nice but wishful thinking. How about if we're all look alike then we won't have war anymore.
@@guestaug6539 - Can you use DiDi ride hailing app for direction? I mean like google direction, going from point A to pint B.
It doesn't hurt if you learn a second language
Welcome to modern day China.✌️❤️🇨🇳
Criminal mind do not go to China modern, just stay in USA it is freedom for here.
If you are worried about your criminal mind then better you stay in USA but sooner or later there will be a policeman knocking on your door. Have you thought of visiting a medical professional😊@@MrPbandasak
They invented paper money in ancient times - modern time is now cashless. What next ?😊
I have added wechat and alipay payments on my phone. I will be going to china in 2 weeks. I look forward to see wechat and alipay will work. Fingers crossed. Love from Canada.
It should work. Last October I linked my US credit card with Alipay and it worked fine. It's now a must-have for a foreign tourist.
How much balance do you have? If its 0 then it will not work. It will work as a credit card provided the merchant accepts credit card. If they do not, then you need to have a non zero balance.
I arrived last week and have been using CASH. I exchanged at the airport. There is not issue with using cash in china.
I did setup alipay just in case merchant lacks change they could alipay into my alipay wallet. However so far, I havent found a need for this.
Some apps not just need eloctronic payments but also that the app is connected to a Chinese ID like ordering food in a train or for some tickets. Maybe here there will be an international passport be accepted in the near future. But I'm very happy to see the develoment.
Some apps just require you sign in with WeChat so if you are able to register with WeChat you might be able to use those apps you mentioned about.
Maybe printed flyers for tourists arriving in China especially for senior or elderly tourists desiring to tour China. Thank you
China is going green： paperless!
It's not just payments, I found it difficult to find AA batteries in Jiangmen. The younger clerks didn't even know what they are. China is already in the future.
😂😂😂 nowadays everything is rechargeable or you can borrow their power bank
oh wow that means I have lots of antiques in my home. lol
No. 5 . AAA is no. 7.
Maybe it's because the translator didn't work well. I just checked Google Translate, and it couldn't translate AA batteries into Chinese correctly. AA batteries are called 五号电池 not AA电池 in Chinese, and are actually easy to find in convenience stores and supermarkets in China.
China is a very modern nation. If you are crystal clear, you don't need to worry about your facial identity.
It is modern, at the same time it's not.
moderm nation？？？ haha, today is not apr 1, men.
You mean face crystal clear?
Newer does not mean better. I always see Asian people holding up the queue trying to use a payment app because they don't have data or service or money. Then they have to flash their screen at the cashier to prove they paid. Also, when you open the app you get bombarded with advertisements on the front page. How is that better than a bank card?
BoC should develop a product something like visitor (temporary) rechargeable debit card, buy it, scan and store it in an app, then go and live. It should offer to visitors online before they arrive.
I'd prefer that too. Not everyone has a credit card, and also I worry about credit card foreign exchange fees everytime I make a payment.
Yes!
Good idea, it would certainly assist in those times when the connection between app and foreign credit card doesn’t work.
They do. It's made of paper known as cash.
It’s not true that China is cashless. Lots of places, especially small roadside stores, not only accept but prefer cash. But it certainly is moving away from cash. There are advantages and disadvantages to that, depending on who you are and where you buy things. I always have cash available when I’m there, but it is true that most larger stores and restaurants and hotels etc prefer direct payment
I saw another video this couple cannot connect to the app to pay, they ended up paying in cash and the small store accepted it. So cash still works in some places just not everywhere.
I am Chinese and I am responsible for what I say. I live in a fifth-tier city in China. People in all shops including small stalls prefer to pay electronically instead of cash.
@@saahan-nn1fe thanks for coming here and sharing your experience!
@@sola4393 They'll accept it but most can't make transaction as they don't have cash in hand to make change.
Also , China government needs to open a new department and 24/7 hotline to take care all foreign visitors matters! Good Hospitality wins traveler’s hearts!
China is a beautiful country . People are warm and welcoming. I have been there twice and always enjoyed myself. This is a good channel to get the Chinese perspective.
always people first. I visit India this country is so difficult only money first don't care about people.
It’s about time China did this. BTW western countries are largely cashless as well now. I haven’t used cash for a long time. The difference is that countries like the USA have been using credit cards for decades and are comfortable in that, though there is a slow movement toward direct payments via phone apps. China never developed a credit card system to speak of so it went directly to direct payment systems. I’ll be in China this summer and I’m delighted this barrier to foreigners has been taken down. I’m not too worried about security since most credit cards will cancel purchases you say you didn’t make and you won’t have to pay anything.
I am really impressed by the measures the respective Chinese authorities and business leaders have taken and their responsiveness to foreign tourist's needs. I will be visiting China for the first time in November and am already planning another trip in February 25. The 15 day visa free visit makes it easy.
Cashless society is here to stay and Thanks to China for pioneering the digital payment system.
Actually Japan pioneered the first digital payment systems about 2000.
@@gstlblol
No. Somalia is the pioneer (mpesa)
How about use a loadable payment card with QR code while visiting and cash out when leaving the country.
Good idea!
The problem is if a shady merchant or someone took a picture of your QR code then they can swipe all the money out of your card. On the phone it changes the QR code for every transaction.
WeChat in Hong Kong has this service available at convenience stores.
I tried to change some old yuan at a bank about 5 years ago and the staffs don’teven recognize their currency that they have to call a higher positioned staff to help out
All the idiots I meet say things like you that have no common sense or logic.
How about an app that offers all the essentials for international tourists?
That would be nice.
dint you watch the whole video? If you are in china you need to do it for your own convenient
Awesome info. Can’t wait to visit !
Would love to visit China as a tourist.
Need more of these practical guidance videos.
Is there an official tourism website with helpful info?
ok next video, cgtn should show us overseas people how to register for Wechat pay and Ali pay please.
I'm keen to visit China :)
Cashless society give more power to corporations and government to violate your privacy. Cash is privacy. Cash is freedom
Cash- government lose tax revenue! Thats why in U.K. we moan we have poor public services, hospital overcrowded. Because businesses still take cash and this is easy to avoid or evade taxes especially VAT!!
TH-cam is tracking you. I stash my cash under my pillow
@@botakkawasiki8775I still remember in the old days, some elderly dig a hole in their backyard and put their stash there. They don't trust the bank, they think the bank steal their money. 😂
Banks are puppets of the government. They can freeze your account for anything. Truckers in Canada learned a hard lesson. Globally, Government debt should be crime.@@sola4393
Liu Xin ❤
There is no doubt that we need to move forward as fast as we can couple with, but at the same time, there should not be any major inconvenience as byproducts created in the forward rush for outside visitors. We need to strike a balance between these two constantly.
Thank you for sharing. I was nervous before planning my trip to China because of payment system, but your video helped a lot. 😊
Yes, please make it easy to put foreign bank cards on Wechat and Alipay. Also, please have the Chinese navigation and transport apps in English and other languages. 👍🇦🇺
It’s there already. Just give a try
I downloaded both aliepay and wechat here in the US (because I planned to travel to China), but I couldn't use the apps... also, they're in Chinese. China needs to do its parts first
Great interview. 10/10. I am afraid this is so rare nowadays.
It'll be good if there were more lanes for foreigners in customs. The hour wait (sometimes more) is a real turn off.
Please make an English language front end for China's most popular payment app, that can be downloaded *before* ones trip to China and which you can cannect your foreign payments cards / bank accounts to.
Please also put step by step demos on youtube of how to set it up and pay with it.
Need to sort it out as otherwise it will impact on tourism .
What about people don't have phones?
All they have to do is have money change kiosks at the airport and bank locations everywhere where visitors download the approved app tied to your passport and foreign cash can be exchanged and the electronic balance uploaded to the visitor e-wallet. Then it can be just a simple pay as you go system. With no confusion. Why does it have to be so difficult for so many years?
People worry about credit card security. So it is easier to start with just balance with no credit card linkage. Top up when needed. They can link their credit cards when they feel comfortable.
The point is to always have options for different needs, By all means, go cashless for the local population. But also have cash payment options for visitors. The downside to everything digital is when the website is down or there's an outage, it still falls back on cash. WeChat is tied to a local bank a/c and Alipay works at times, at times don't. And then most other apps like Whatsapp, TH-cam, FB use mostly by international visitors become unavailable unless you download a VPN. Also not all VPNs work seamlessly in China. Navigating around which VPN works or doesn't work is another hassle. That's why international tourists are not that many in China. Language of course is another barrier, although translation apps help a bit, but not all the times.
In China cashless is cool but cash is accepted almost everywhere.
buy roaming data from your country instead of VPN
Don’t need credit card in app, cost 3% fees. Get Chinese friends to top up then transfer money directly to their bank accounts, usually no fees transfer.
Think this is what happens: In China, US card companies like Visa, Mastercard charge higher merchant fees than their local competitors like UnionPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay, there may even be an additional fee for cards issued outside of China. This is the main reason local merchants refuse to accept them.
So as a compromise, Visa/MasterCard charge the fee to the user/cardholder, as Alipay and WeChat Pay most likely also refused to pay the high processing fee.
Every person young or old in Asia have a mobile device. Not so for the average American. To go all out on digital & cashless scares the hell out of them...
The reality is China is not foreign friendly and the more you go out of the major cities the more difficult it becomes for travelers because of language barriers . Fast food chains are basically unusable for visitors as app pay is required and you need to scan the menu to order . Hiring umbrellas ,bikes, phone battery ect is also impossible if it requires scanning.
Fix is on arrival / at any money exchanges have the option to set a up a visitors wechat account where they can deposit money via cash / debit/ credit card onto the app, show them how to use it. Once the visit ends they can withdraw any unused money . And explain to visitors that cash / foreign cards are a bad payment option as basically Alipay and wechat are the preferred payment options
cash is king, china should never abandon it. it was the chinese invented the printing. why not both cash and digital payments. it is terrible in london for travel, not toliet, transport is running by member ship card, parking is not accepting cash. using cash is a win win for all. sure the chinese local can use their system but cash should be good idea and good for economy printing money is an industry it self
we abandoned paying with seashells and bronze coins too. it's not the form of payment that matters it's the transfer of values...
@@ChengJiaStat You forget to mention bartering. You give me free food, I wash all the dishes. LOL
We are in the 21st century, don't stay in the stone age.
Paper money can help to transmit Coved 19 and diseases.
cash is king because Americans don't trust their government.
Fascinating!👍🙏🐲🐉🐼🌏🙂
Now Chinese government announced that the cash is still the basic, Chinese government change the policy all the time
Don't be lame. Paper cash is the basic for every country no matter how advanced the payment systems are. Paper currency is legal tender. Before you buy something in China, always ask the shop if they accept paper cash. This is in case your payment apps cannot work, you still have paper cash to pay. This has been consistent in China all the time, so stop fabricating stories about Chinese govt policies. 😂
This is so informative as I’m going to China in September!
Interesting. Shows the convenience of one app to rule them all. Does raise all sorts of questions around ownership and public vs private models of governance.
3% transaction fee for amount over 30US$ is quite expensive, plus the 2.5% of foreign exchange fee, therefore 5.5 percent extra fee to use wechat pay etc.
This is why we shouldn't be completely cashless.
Transaction over 200 Yuan is done mostly in expensive shops, so you can try using your credit or debit card directly or pay cash.
It's still inconvenient for foreign travellers.
i would prefer a direct way to top up an e-wallet. using banks is one more entity i need to deal with. if telecom companies can offer a sim card which serve as an e-wallet, that would be more direct since alot of chinese app requires a chinese number anyway.
As a Chinese Canadian, I watched a youtube tutorial to get set up on Alipay but then realized when I got to China that it's limited to 100 RMB per transaction - also none of my Canadian credit cards worked. So basically my relatives had to pay for everything which was really lame.
I use Alipay linked to foreign credit card. In November when I traveled in China. A lot of second tier city restaurants do not accept my Alipay. I suppose these establishments do not accept credit cards.
How did you pay then? In cash?
Thanks , good info 👍
Payment and getting taxi by phone are ridiculously difficult for foreigners. Why China is so slow in taking action to rectify it?
I and my friends have no problem ordering a taxi and making payments. All taxis accept cash and electronic payments.
Use didi, u can pay later, before the next trip.
Didi's are technically illegal, they just allow them because of shortage of taxis in many cities in China.
@@jinifith
Shortage of taxis? Not. I see dozens of them waiting in line in designated spots.
Didi is not technically illegal either.
The Didi app was illegal.
Didi, China’s largest ride-hailing service, continues to fall into deeper trouble with Chinese regulators.
The Cyberspace Administration of China on Sunday banned Didi from app stores after saying it posed a cybersecurity risk for customers.
“Didi Chuxing app is found to have severely violated the laws by illegally collecting and using personal information,” the regulator said. It called on Didi to fix the issue with its app to comply with the country’s laws and to ensure its customers’ safety.
China lifts 18-month ban on new Didi users as tech crackdown wanes
By Julie Zhu and Yingzhi Yang
January 16, 2023
being english i have alipay connected to my credit card but can not get wechat pay in the uk which i find annoying when i come to China to vist my in-laws
You should be able to link your credit card now. WeChat has made some changes to allow this recently.
@@laurazheng8057I tried, it asked for a Chinese ID with WeChat. Could only do Alipay.
@@laurazheng8057really ? Great! Will try . I already have WeChat but it could not link with the overseas credit card
@@laurazheng8057 I had wechat for a long time, but then it said I can't use it again until I update, and it wouldn't let me update. I tried hard in various ways over weeks. So I gave up, I will not try again. Not ever.
Please make the apps multi lingual.
I've loved visiting China many times but now feel there is a lot of inconveniency due to difficult payment options. No cash is not my thing too.
Are you still literally using 'paper' cash or ... by 'cash', do you mean credit card?
That is, what's the difference with scanning with a phone instead?
I use cash only, no cards at all
@@reborn2020 "no cards at all"
... then, you don't do online shopping also?
... how do you pay for utility bills, internet, do taxes, etc?
@@sarahlee9979by saying no cards, i meant no credit cards. Only a bank card, and crypto, no need trash cards. Nor to be monitored by what i buy or eat.
i was in Shenzhen and Guangzhou Dec/Jan this year, ZERO problem using cash - anywhere! Your foreign ATM will work in China to get cash.
... cash less it's a must go... but foreign coming might b issues bcos... WiFi connection 2 triggered apps might b 1 issue...s... certain cards issues could b use... only...
Cashlesss is a big No in a country where citizens don't trust the gov. Can only work in Chna
Was going to say the same. Only a government their own people trust will work.
Dont wreck your brains trying to set these up. Just use cash. I arrived in china last week and I have had no issues paying with cash. The payment is gladly accepted. 2 instances where the seller did not have change but he was able to get help and got change before I even finished my food.
If you attempt to e pay, you likely will be able to link your credit card to alipay. However you do not have the wallet feature which means most merchants will not be able to process your payment unless they accept credit cards.
So to make things simple, just pay with cash.
Sir you pay $10/day? Seems awfully expensive 😮
Getting people to adopt credit card terminals will never work, no matter how cheap it is.
It just isn't optimal for street vendors, wet markets, and other less formal business venues popular in Asia.
Meanwhile, phones are already always in everyone's hand. These apps will even work with just a QR code printed on a sign or lanyard.
A separate card terminal you have to charge, lug around, and find a space to put it, isn't worth the hassle for the off-chance a tourist come around.
It was like hell to visit China without local bank card. Even exchanged currency in 2nd or 3rd tiers cities. 😢
3% processing fee on any transaction that is over 200 yuan is a deal breaker for me. So no…
So, how do I connect my US credit card to my WeChat?
The video doesn't help in solving our problems of unable to use the payment apps.
Alipay and Octopus have had trouble recognising some ethnic minority/ foreign faces. It is a great technological impedance to some people.
I have WeChat in SG, but cannot put money into the app
Why China not just put some bank or exchange in airport so foreigner can transfer fiat to e-money ?
Because it uses electronic tokens, it cannot be converted, and partly to avoid money laundering
Can I add overseas bank saving account to WeChat app? Instead of credit card account.
Obviously not.
20 sec? B*S. For a tourist, it'll take much longer than that and frustration. After one has set up, it's limited to something like RMB2,500 (some amount). How can this be enough for tourists?
Limit is RM200 or fees will be invoked and rip you off big.
Alipay and Wechat Pay is good with small amount transactions. It is better to use credit card or cash with large amount transactions.
Supporter of a cashless society! Paper money is so dirty and not environmentally friendly!
For the sake of this conversation can I assume that Credit cards and Debit cards are equally useless?
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants.
Its very difficult to use China apps and China payment machines if you are not very fluent in Chinese language.
2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels.
It would be wonderful if foreigners are allowed to stay in all the same hotels as local China people.
Its also good if China allow foreign tourists to rent the residential house or apartment or room from China people.
3) China should allow foreigners to set up their China apps a few weeks in advance BEFORE they travel to China, rather than only allowing them to set up and configure everything in a rush when they arrive at airport in China
4)China should allow foreigners to access China apps and China websites and social media websites and China dating websites even if they dont have China telephone sim cards. Some foreigners tried to use many China apps but not possible because they dont have China telephone sim card .
5)China apps and websites should allow even people who have no China friends to join in the apps and China websites because some apps dont allow foreigners to join in, unless if they already have China friend so this makes it so difficult to even get in the door in first place .
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants.
I use Chinese apps and they have English options. I even have a Chinese app that translates Chinese to English to Chinese in spoken and written languages. Even translates most world languages including Japanese, Korean, Thai, German, French from Chinese to their native language.
2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels.
That does not happen much any more but not all of them can host foreigners because they don't have the equipment to scan passports or the hotel employees don't have the required language skills, The majority of the time, if the hotel is listed in English on booking sites, foreigners are legally allowed to stay there.
4)China should allow foreigners to access ............... and China websites and social media websites.
I can access those sites but the thing is they are in Chinese and I cannot read Chinese so it is pointless.
simple if you loose your phone??
Use fingerprint to protect your phone and app. Log in your app ASAP from another phone.
Good morning ❤️🇨🇳CGTN🦾😇👋
I hate phones, too small for my aging eyes. So I only use cash still in Shanghai. Please don’t go 100% cashless, or at least introduce pre-paid cards.
In China, it is illegal for merchants not to accept cash payments. Any business that doesn't accept cash, you can call 110 for the police to come and deal with it
@@625as-pj5mg Luckin Coffee always refuse to accept my cash
Too bad China makes payment unacceptable to outsiders. That is why vacationers are down over 60% from 2019. If they don't open up, China will keep losing business.
It would probably be advertisement if the obvious wasn't present 🤔❤️
All sounds good and easy until you get home to find out the credit card charges are astronomical for foreign usage. Some cards have extra charges per transaction and what about the poor exchange rates!!! Just watch out - it's not as EASY!!!
You can use credit cards with no foreign transaction fees, you save 3 to 5%.
Use a credit card that has no foreign exchange fees like Navy Federal.
Duh.
The same issue will happen if you travel outside of your country and you need to use your CC or ATM card.
Most travel cards don't have foreign transaction fees. That should not be an issue. But I think there is a charge for foreign card on WeChat and Alipay. But that is still less than sale tax you pay in the states. So I would not call it astronomical since everything in China in general is cheaper.
QR codes are not user friendly. Always having to open the app and use the camera makes payments slow. Using the hand palm is a big step forward. Normal bank cards are still more user friendly than an app on the phone and scanning QR codes.
Not big issue. I´m. quicker to pay with the QR Code, than a credit card or let the cashier scan me. The credit card need more time to type the PIN first.
Buy a new phone with NFC wallet embedded.
You can pay with the palm of your hands in China.😂😂😂
@@directxxxx71or your face.
The cashless transaction in China and USA is stalled or advanced by the big banks. For decades China big banks and U.S. big banks can’t agree on sharing the transaction fees. The problem has never been about technology. It has always been about the money. VISA and MC want access to China’s one billion customers while Chinese credit card companies want access to the US market. Each proposed an expedient fee formula that safeguards their domestic market share. In a perfect financial world the competition between US and China banks will lower the cost of cashless transactions.
Find it very funny whereby you carry paper RMB into China as a foreign tourist and then told by locals they are not accepting their own paper cash.
Paper RMB becomes toilet paper?
I still have 15-20K of paper RMB from previous visits
The law says that no business can refuse cash payments. I use Wechat and cash payments and my cash has never been refused.
you still can use your cash. i was in Shenzhen and Guangzhou Dec/Jan this year, ZERO problem using cash - anywhere!
Visa, master, amex, etc dying
Interestingly, Visa/MasterCard had better acceptance in China before, which is to say, China has successfully managed the kick them out the Chinese market.
Unlike in China, cash in the US is legal tender for all transactions; it’s the law that all establishments accept cash.
It is the same in China. The law states that payment in Cash cannot be denied. Maybe there are smaller traders such as those in the rural areas that won't accept cash but they break the law and can be fined for refusal.
Vendors are legally obliged to accept cash (since it is legal tender), but some may not have enough cash change for you since cashless payments are so common.
So beggars have smart phones? Nice deal 😎
How about that social credit score tho?
You can hardly see any beggars in China.
For a tourist to come to China for just few days, need to do homework? Is this friendly? Why China don't make it friendly for tourists.
this guy looks like Morgan Piers
欢迎来到中国
Or don't go to China. I have been several times, but I will not go again.
UPI देखा हे 😂😂
one reason i didn`t want to go to china.s
I’m sorry but this conversation is completely confusing to anyone who doesn’t know about electronic payments in China. I would have started saying in China >90% people use no cash but only two apps to pay for everything-Alipay and Wechat which they can download on their phones. They pay by scanning QR codes at the stores, in the restaurants or in the taxis. (Don’t expect people already know these, they don’t) They need to how to link their credit cards step by step, and what type of credit cards, what are the fees etc.
CGTN need to do a segment illustrating WeChat app and AliPay app for dummy. I think the On Point segment is just interview or discussion only. And I do agree it is confusing for people never heard of those app.
I believe in China they are linked to their banks. There are no fee. I think they are more like ATM card. This was the problem before because you have to have a Chinese bank account. Now they allow people to link to their foreign credit cards. There are other ways to do this if you live in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
Pay like a local? Depends on what kind of local. If it's those old aunties that no one likes, they just take and scream without paying
China has to dumb down for the foreign visitors 😂😂
我看cgtn的视频播放量在油管经常只有几百，几十，这个有3.9万。看来这个需求确实很大啊。doge
1) China apps should give foreigners an option to choose English language on China apps and payment machines at shops and restaurants.
Its very difficult to use China apps and China payment machines if you are not very fluent in Chinese language.
2) China should not restrict foreigners to only use a certain small number of Hotels.
It would be wonderful if foreigners are allowed to stay in all the same hotels as local China people.
Its also good if China allow foreign tourists to rent the residential house or apartment or room from China people.
3) China should allow foreigners to set up their China apps a few weeks in advance BEFORE they travel to China, rather than only allowing them to set up and configure everything in a rush when they arrive at airport in China
4)China should allow foreigners to access China apps and China websites and social media websites and China dating websites even if they dont have China telephone sim cards. Some foreigners tried to use many China apps but not possible because they dont have China telephone sim card .
At least should let those who have Chinese passport to use local apps to make payments in China.
Stopped to pay a local ...
Thanks , good info 👍