Today most payment happening in China are digitalized and made by phones via Wechat or Alipay. In daily life of payment to restaurants, shopping, taxis, tourist parks, services, all are paid via phone despite where you are: shopping malls, streets, dining places, tourist parks, monasteries as long as there is internet coverage. As a foreign traveler to China, there are things you should now about how to make payment and how to pay easily. This article is about introductions and instructions and suggestions on how to make payment in China(Chengdu and Sichuan) as a foreigner.
Cash is still accepted by most places. Although some food vendors/shops now don’t keep cash with them anymore so may cause inconvenience on giving you changes. Always prepare some small notes with you if you are keen to use cash anywhere in China. Please note it’s illegal for business owners to refuse to take cash anywhere in China. Our tip is to try to keep small notes with you all the time.
Where to Exchange Money in Chengdu?
Credit Card system in China is not widely developed and used. In major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing you may find credit card accepted in hotels, shopping malls but not in many restaurants and the majority of shopping places. In Sichuan, only some shops and hotels accept credit cards. We strongly recommend you to prepare cash or other ways of payment when you travel to Sichuan especially when you travel outside of Chengdu.
Alipay and Wechat are the two most popular ways of paying in China. Alipay is mainly a payment app but can also do other things. Wechat is mainly a Chat App but can also do other things. You may read elsewhere on what the other things they can do. We recommend Alipay since the verification on both setting up an account and also to connect your own bank account are much quicker and easier than Wechat.
You may download Alipay International App and connect to your own bank card and then can make payment in China. It’s not required you will need a China domestic bank account to do so. it’s not required you will need a Chine domestic phone number to do so. You don’t have to put money in your Alipay account but the money can directly be charged from your bank account connected to Alipay each time you pay.
When making payment, you either scan a QR code or have your QR code being scanned. There is a 3%-7% charges when payment is made via these apps for any payment over 200yuan. A daily limit of payment amount is total the worth of USD5000, and a annual limit of payment amount via Alipay is total the worth of USD50000.
Which one is Better, Alipay or Wechat?
Both apps are good and essential for anyone living in China. Wechat is mainly for chat and payment. Alipay is mainly used for payment and getting around using taxi, public transport. Note both apps can do a lot of things. The verification takes longer time on wechat and on connecting your bank account to Wechat than Alipay. We recommend you to have both these two apps: Alipay for payment and wechat for chatting and contacting people in China.
Make Payment: Both Alipay and Wechat can do, Alipay is easier to set up;
Calling taxi: both Wechat and Alipay can do, with either Wechat or Alipay there is mini app Didi (mini app within called Didi, equivalent of Uber) supports manually setting customized location on map as destination (note this is important as the map is in Chinese language);
Using Metro/Bus in the City: Alipay is a super useful app on this, you may give permission of your location within this app and then it automatically shows the bus/metro digital pass ready to use;
City Public Bikes: Alipay support the blue Halo bike (scan the QR code on the bike and then use, after use lock the bike on your Alipay app); It works the same with Wechat with the Green Orange Bikes.
Ordering Food: either order delivery or order on site by each table IN restaurant, you may scan with your alipay or wechat to order food, quick and convenient when travel.
Have both Alipay and Wechat on your phone. And set up your Alipay payment. Prepare cash with you depending on your travel destinations. Some locations may not have good internet coverage to allow you to pay via phone. Also your own bank account connected to Alipay only allows you to pay to business account in China and not individuals(this is why sometimes when you make payment to individuals or small businesses it's not working, paying from your alipay or wechat to individuals will require you to have a domestic bank account while using your own country's bank account allows you to pay only to business account). If your trip involves paying to individuals please make sure you have enough cash prepared.
You can disconnect your bank account to your Alipay after you finish your trip in China.
Continue on reading on Using Internet in China
Route: Chengdu - Dujiangyan - Chengdu
Route: Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou
Route: Chengdu - Leshan - Emeishan - Chengdu
