境外发行的银联卡全面支持绑定微信支付和支付宝。
UnionPay International, a subsidiary of Chinese card payment giant China UnionPay, announced recently that UnionPay cards issued overseas now fully support binding with Alipay and WeChat Pay, which will provide foreign visitors with more diverse and convenient payment choices in China.
Tourists from New Zealand try electronic payment in Shanghai. Photo: Xi'an Zhongheng International Travel Agency
Overseas visitors to China could download the Alipay or WeChat apps, link their UnionPay cards issued abroad, and experience seamless QR code payments just like Chinese mainland users, according to a statement issued on the company's official website.
The innovative payment model is part of China's intensifying effort to facilitate the entry of foreign visitors and their stay in China, in a bid to boost higher-level opening-up.
For a limited promotional period, the cardholders will benefit from zero transaction fees for all payments within China, covering various online and on-site scenarios including dining, accommodation, tourism, shopping, medical care, education and more, according to the company.
More than 250 million UnionPay cards have been issued globally in over 80 countries and regions, and they can be used across 183 countries and regions for cross-border transactions, according to a statement on the website of UnionPay International.
China UnionPay is among the largest card payment organizations (debit and credit cards combined) in the world, offering mobile and online payments, based on the total value of payments. It is also the only interbank network in China linking all ATMs of all banks throughout the country, according to the World Economic Forum.
Source: Global Times
