More and more foreigners visiting Guangzhou are enjoying smoother payment processes, from swiping cards for accommodation to scanning QR codes for morning tea, and even exchanging foreign currency at bank branches. Data shows that currently, 65% of merchants in key areas of Guangzhou that cater to foreigners can accept foreign cards. Transactions have exceeded 420 million yuan for both "foreign cards used in China" and "Chinese cards used by foreigners." The coverage rate of ATMs for foreign cards in key areas exceeds 95%.
Leading up to the Canton Fair, reporters from Yangcheng Evening News visited several banks, payment institutions, and stores to learn about the latest payment initiatives. They also interviewed multiple foreign nationals for their payment experiences in Guangzhou.
"Most of the time, my smartphone is the only thing I need for handling all my daily payments," said Mohamed Elsayed, an Egyptian businessman dining at Shamian on April 2nd. He mentioned that he can even use his overseas bank cards for payments.
At the entrance of a restaurant at Shamian, reporters noticed a sign indicating the supported payment methods, including cash, digital RMB, UnionPay, QuickPass, WeChat Pay, and Alipay, as well as major international cards like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
To better serve foreign visitors, White Swan Hotel not only displays payment signs, but also provides a payment manual for foreign visitors, guiding them to use the local payment services.
"We currently support cash, bank cards, QR code payments, checks, corporate transfers, and billings. QR code payments support the QuickPass, Alipay, and WeChat Pay of China, as well as international wallets like Alipay+," said Lin Zhenhai, the general manager of the White Swan Hotel. The hotel respects the payment habits of foreign guests from different countries and regions, enriching payment methods in various consumption scenarios such as accommodation, dining, and shopping. In this way, the hotel ensures smooth acceptance of diverse payment methods such as international card swiping, QR code payments, and cash.
At the Diandude restaurant on Huacheng Avenue, after tasting Guangzhou's specialty morning tea, British visitor Jay Birbeck chose to pay with Alipay. As the Canton Fair approaches, he enthusiastically recommends his non-Chinese friends to experience the convenience of Chinese mobile payments. Birbeck explained to reporters that he confidently recommends using mobile payments because binding cards to mobile apps is now more convenient. The operation is very easy, with only two steps. Using his experience as an example, he only needs to install the app and enter his bank card information to easily bind his overseas bank card to the app.
To better facilitate the cash payment of international visitors to China, Guangdong has introduced multiple convenient payment methods. Foreigners can withdraw cash at ATMs, and there are self-service currency exchange machines available in Canton Fair venues. These machines support the exchange of 18 foreign currencies in 8 languages, providing greater accessibility and convenience for foreign guests.