Xiamen facilitates payment for foreign visitors

In order to better meet the diverse payment needs of overseas visitors and enhance relevant services to improve the business environment in the city, the General Office of Xiamen Municipal People's Government in Southeast China's Fujian Province released a work plan to facilitate payment on July 2.

The plan includes eight categories and a total of 21 measures, focusing on improving the environment for bank card acceptance and cash use as well as facilitating mobile payments.

According to the plan, Xiamen will promote the use of bank cards in public utility payments, medical services, tourist attractions, shopping malls and more. The city will also organize banks and payment institutions to carry out transformation of infrastructure for overseas bank card acceptance based on the directories of key venues and merchants, and to complete software and hardware upgrade and other related work.

The plan urged guiding banks and payment institutions to take concrete measures to create favorable conditions to encourage business entities to accept overseas bank cards.

Furthermore, banks will be encouraged to introduce standardized and customized Renminbi cash "change purse" products, ensuring that key merchants in administrative services, transportation, medical care, and other areas are equipped with sufficient "change purses".

Banks are encouraged to set up branches at the airport, or use other means to provide overseas visitors with services such as cash withdrawal, "change purse" exchange, account opening, payment promotion, etc.

Relevant authorities are encouraged to formulate preferential policies on rental fees for bank branches, individual foreign exchange franchisees, and other operating entities in key venues such as airports, train stations and ports, to attract more businesses to set up offices in overseas visitor service centers.

Pilot programs for small-denomination cash withdrawal services at ATMs will be promoted at major transportation hubs and tourist attractions. Support will be provided to consumption-related internet platforms in customizing apps for foreign users.

Banks will be guided to strengthen cooperation with payment institutions and clearing organizations to provide online issuance and top up services for the "FULV Pass" Card for overseas visitors and support mainstream mobile payment apps such as UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat.