Payment readiness

Payments for China travel

In short

Can foreigners pay in China without a local bank card?

Most first-time visitors should prepare Alipay or Weixin Pay with an international card before departure, then keep a physical card and small cash backup for the first 48 hours. The practical goal is not perfect coverage; it is being able to complete the first small purchase without debugging in a queue.

Add payment to checklist

Applies to

International travelers using foreign-issued cards, mobile wallets, hotels, restaurants, taxis, convenience stores, metro counters, and ticket desks in mainland China.

Check before you rely on it

Wallet screens, card support, identity checks, fees, limits, and bank fraud rules can change. Confirm the current flow inside the official app and keep a second payment path ready.

Information checked: July 24, 2026

Wallet setup, card fallback, QR payment habits, and recovery moves to rehearse before the first checkout in China.

Payment answers

Give payment searchers the short answer before the full guide

These guides target the exact questions visitors ask before they trust Alipay, Weixin Pay, cards, cash, or metro payment in China.

Paymentalipay for foreigners

How should a first-time foreign visitor pay in China?

Set up one primary mobile wallet before departure, rehearse the scan-or-show-code flow, and keep a card plus small cash reserve as the fallback.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentwhat is nihao china app

What is the Nihao China app for foreign visitors?

Nihao China is best treated as a visitor-first bridge for payment, transport, online services, and translation, not as the only wallet or travel operating system. Try it before departure, but keep Alipay, Weixin Pay, card, cash, and staffed-counter backups ready.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentshould tourists use nihao china

Should tourists use Nihao China for a first China trip?

Tourists should consider Nihao China as a useful extra if the official app supports their card, phone, route, and first cities. It should not be the only plan until one low-stakes live payment or transport action has worked.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentnihao china vs alipay

Is Nihao China or Alipay better for a first China trip?

For most first trips, Alipay or Weixin Pay should be the primary tested wallet because they are more established at everyday checkout. Nihao China can still be a valuable visitor-first layer if it works for your card, city, transport, and backup needs.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentnihao china app tourists

Should tourists use Nihao China, Alipay, or Weixin Pay in China?

Use one established wallet you can operate quickly, usually Alipay or Weixin Pay, and treat Nihao China as a useful visitor-first extra if it works with your card, device, and city.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentcan foreigners use alipay in china

Can foreigners use Alipay in China?

Many foreign visitors can use Alipay after installing the official app, registering, and linking an eligible international card, but they should verify the live app flow and keep Weixin Pay, card, or cash as a backup.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentwhat if alipay does not work in china

What should travelers do if Alipay does not work in China?

Step out of the queue, try the second wallet or a merchant-scan flow, use a staffed counter when available, and fall back to card or small cash instead of debugging under pressure.

Read the guide Planning page

Paymentforeign credit card china travel

Should travelers rely on a foreign credit card in China?

Do not make a foreign credit card the only payment plan. Use it as a backup for hotels, larger merchants, or wallet linking, and prepare a tested mobile wallet plus a small cash reserve for smaller everyday payments.

Read the guide Planning page

When payment fails

If the wallet is set up but the payment still fails

The highest-stress payment moment is not installation. It is the first real checkout when QR type, card risk checks, mobile data, and merchant behavior meet.

Nihao China vs Alipay vs Weixin Pay

Decide whether to use the new visitor app, an established wallet, or a backup option before the first checkout.

Compare payment apps

Payment Failure Helper

Answer four quick prompts and get the next calm move for Alipay, Weixin Pay, QR, network, card, or identity failures.

Use tool

Why Alipay fails with a foreign card in China

Use this troubleshooting guide when Alipay or Weixin Pay is linked to an overseas card but fails at a shop, restaurant, taxi, QR menu, or ticket counter.

Open failure guide

Check the phone before retrying

Payment failures can be connectivity failures. Confirm eSIM, roaming, VPN, hotel Wi-Fi, and SMS behavior before the first checkout.

Check phone setup

Decision table

Which wallet lists your card network

Three official pages publish these lists. They do not agree, so each cell names the list it came from.

Card network

Alipay

Weixin Pay

Visa

ListedCentral bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

ListedTencent (2025), central bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

Mastercard

ListedCentral bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

ListedTencent (2025), central bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

JCB

ListedCentral bank guide (2024). Beijing's 2023 page leaves JCB off Alipay's list

ListedTencent (2025), central bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

Diners Club

ListedCentral bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

ListedTencent (2025) names it inside Discover Global Network; the central bank guide and Beijing's 2023 page list it separately

Discover

ListedCentral bank guide (2024) and Beijing's 2023 page

ListedTencent (2025) and central bank guide (2024)

American Express

Not listedNot on any of the three official lists we read

ListedTencent (2025) and central bank guide (2024)

UnionPay

Not listedNot on any of the three official lists we read

ListedTencent (2025)

If you only carry American Express

American Express is listed for Weixin Pay by Tencent and by the central bank's guide. It does not appear on any of the three official Alipay lists we read. An Amex-only traveler should set up Weixin Pay rather than assume no wallet takes the card.

Three official pages publish these lists and they do not match. Tencent's own article is the newest and the widest, and it is the only one that names UnionPay for Weixin Pay. The central bank's guide is the 2024 edition. Beijing's municipal page is from July 2023 and is the narrowest: it leaves JCB off Alipay's list and never mentions American Express at all. If your network appears on the newer list but not the older one, the newer list is the operator's own.

Source: Tencent — Mobile Payment Solutions for Your China Journey: A Practical Guide (June 18, 2025; read July 24, 2026)

Source: People's Bank of China — Guide to Payment Services in China (2024 edition, page updated May 25, 2024; read July 24, 2026)

Source: Beijing Municipal Government — Overseas Bank Cards Accepted by Weixin Pay and Alipay (July 25, 2023; read July 24, 2026)

A UnionPay card is the one that needs no wallet

A UnionPay card is stated to be accepted by every merchant POS terminal in the Chinese mainland. Other networks are accepted where their logo is shown at the checkout counter.

Weixin Pay also publishes what it charges an international card: the transaction fee is waived for a single transaction under 200 RMB. A single transaction above 200 RMB carries a 3% fee. If a transaction is refunded, the fee is reimbursed in proportion to the refunded amount. Single transactions are capped at 6,500 RMB, with 50,000 RMB a month and 65,000 RMB a year cumulative.

Source: People's Bank of China — Guide to Payment Services in China (2024 edition, page updated May 25, 2024; read July 24, 2026)

Source: The State Council of the People's Republic of China — Payment service guide for overseas visitors to China (April 11, 2024; read July 24, 2026)

Source: Tencent / WeChat Help Center — Guide to Add and Use International Cards with Weixin Pay (read July 24, 2026)

Cash rules

Cash is a backed fallback, not just a personal precaution

Since February 1, 2026, refusing RMB cash is against the rules, not a shop's preference.

A merchant may not refuse cash

Article 3: business operators and charging bodies must respect the payer's choice of a lawful payment method. They may not refuse cash, may not induce anyone else to refuse it, and may not treat a cash payer worse than an app payer.

Anywhere a person takes the money, cash works

Article 4: cash must be supported where payment is collected by a person, where a face-to-face service is provided, and where the booking happens online but the goods or service are handed over in person.

Unattended machines must show a cash route and a phone number

Article 5: self-service settings must still meet cash needs in special situations, and the rules name mobile payment being unusable, network failure and equipment failure. The accepted payment methods, the cash conversion route and a service contact phone number must be displayed in a conspicuous position, and the conversion route cannot carry a fee.

Small notes and coins are not grounds for refusal

Article 11: a merchant may not refuse a payer for offering a large quantity of coins or small notes. It has to negotiate or direct the payer to a bank to exchange them.

Banks are told to make cash convenient for visitors

Article 12(4): banks are directed to make cash services convenient for elderly people, disabled people and people from outside the mainland, and to site cash machines with those needs in mind.

A refusal has somewhere to go

Article 15: a person who meets a refusal of cash or discriminatory treatment of cash may keep the evidence and apply to the local branch of the central bank to have their rights protected. Article 16: penalised parties are named publicly.

People's Bank of China, National Development and Reform Commission, National Financial Regulatory Administration

What this changes at the counter: if a wallet fails, cash is a route the merchant is required to take, and an unattended machine has to show a service phone number you can call. If cash is refused anyway, keep the evidence and take it to the local central bank branch instead of arguing at the till. The provisions took effect February 1, 2026; page read July 24, 2026.

Open source: Announcement [2025] No. 29 and the Provisions on RMB Cash Receipts, Payments and Services

Trip path

Payment works best after entry and data are settled

Use this page for the wallet rehearsal step, then continue into first transfer, first meal, support, and route decisions.

Needs live check

Entry path

Confirm passport, route, stay length, first entry city, arrival card, and whether a visa-free, visa, or transit path applies.

Traveler job

Know whether the trip can legally start before buying more plans.

Check entry

Use with caveat

Phone data

Make maps, translation, wallet prompts, hotel details, and support contacts usable before leaving the airport.

Traveler job

Keep the phone useful when the traveler is tired, offline, or moving.

Set up data

Use with caveat

Payment rehearsal

Prepare one primary wallet, one linked card, one backup card or cash path, and the first small checkout flow.

Traveler job

Complete the first snack, taxi, or restaurant payment without debugging in a queue.

Solve payments

Needs live check

First transfer

Choose the first airport-to-hotel route, save the hotel address in Chinese, and keep a fallback if data or payment is slow.

Traveler job

Reach the hotel without making the airport arrival the hardest part of the trip.

Plan transfer

Ready

First meal

Pick one low-friction meal area or restaurant type and prepare ordering, dietary, and QR-payment fallback notes.

Traveler job

Eat something simple before chasing the perfect food plan.

Plan first meal

Ready

Support backup

Save emergency numbers, insurer details, consular support, hotel contacts, and lost-passport backup before travel day.

Traveler job

Know who to contact if luggage, payment, health, documents, or transport fails.

Save support

Ready

First city and route

Choose a first base and route shape only after entry, phone, payment, transfer, meal, and support basics are stable.

Traveler job

Avoid building an exciting route on top of unresolved first-day risk.

Shape route

Tencent official Easy Pay with Weixin Pay guide for visitors to China

First live payment

The safest payment setup is the one you have already rehearsed once

Remove the most common payment fear before China: not whether mobile payments exist, but whether the first real transaction will feel awkward, declined, or confusing.

Official source preview from Tencent. We rewrite the traveler instructions in our own words and link back to the official guide for the latest app flow.

Choose one primary wallet before departure, not three competing options.

Open the payment code and linked card area once while still calm.

Keep one visible backup path for the first day only.

Use comparison pages after the setup problem is clear, not before.

Next readiness step

Do not solve payment by itself

The first successful payment depends on phone data, app access, ordering context, and a backup if the wallet fails.

Make the phone useful

Use with caveat

Payment setup depends on data, SMS or identity prompts, maps, and translation working when the traveler leaves arrivals.

Check connectivity

Prepare the first meal

Ready

The first checkout is often a restaurant or coffee counter. Plan the ordering and payment moment together.

Plan first meal

Keep a real backup

Ready

Use the checklist to keep wallet, card, cash, hotel address, and support contacts in one first-day sequence.

Open checklist

Official videos

Watch the wallet flow before the first real checkout

These are Tencent's official Weixin Pay tutorial videos. They make the scan/pay-code flow visible, which is much more useful than asking travelers to imagine the cashier moment.

MP4

Tencent

Get WeChat ready

Official videoTutorial

Tencent's official starter video helps visitors recognize the account and services area before they try to pay in China.

Open official video

MP4

Tencent

Register Weixin Pay

Official videoTutorial

This official tutorial is useful for the mainland China Weixin Pay setup path, including the point where card and identity checks matter.

Open official video

MP4

Tencent

Use Weixin Pay in store

Official videoTutorial

The most useful payment video for first-time visitors: it shows the in-store QR flow before the traveler is standing at a cashier.

Open official video

Before-flight setup

Turn the credit card into something China merchants can actually scan

For many visitors, the real move is not handing a foreign card to a small merchant. It is linking that card to a mobile wallet, then using QR payment like a local checkout flow.

1. Pick the primary wallet

Choose Alipay or Weixin Pay as the first method you will try in China. Do not make the traveler choose at the cashier.

Traveler move

Install the app, sign in, and find the payment code before departure.

2. Link an international card

The lists differ per wallet. Tencent lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Discover Global Network including Diners Club, and UnionPay for Weixin Pay. The central bank's 2024 guide lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover for Alipay, and American Express does not appear on any official Alipay list we read.

Traveler move

Check your network against the table below, then keep a second card ready.

3. Rehearse both QR flows

China checkout usually means either scanning the merchant QR code or showing your own payment code for the cashier to scan.

Traveler move

Practice opening Scan and Pay Code once while still calm.

4. Keep a real backup

Foreign cards can work at hotels, airlines, larger stores, and some ticket counters, but many small merchants are wallet-first. Cash is the fallback with rules behind it: since February 1, 2026, a merchant may not refuse RMB cash or treat a cash payer worse.

Traveler move

Carry a physical card and small cash reserve for the first 48 hours.

Before you book · May 3, 2026

New payment evidence from official wallet sources

Recent official Alipay, WeChat Pay HK, UnionPay, and Weixin Pay references clarify the payment model while keeping app-screen details as live checks.

Ant Group / Alipay

Alipay Global — Merchant Portal

official

Alipay Global merchant portal describes QR-code-based payments with contact-free security benefits.
Accessibility statement: digital ecosystem designed accessible to everyone.
Safety claim: contact-free QR scanning eliminates virus transmission risk.

Confirms Alipay's QR-code model is the dominant payment pattern in China. Sets expectation that QR scanning is normal and safe.

Open official source

Tencent / WeChat Pay Hong Kong

WeChat Pay HK — Official English Portal

official

WeChat Pay HK allows Hong Kong users to pay in mainland China in HKD with automatic currency conversion.
Accepted in mainland wherever the WeChat Pay logo is shown (metro, ride-hailing, dining, entertainment, Meituan, Dianping).
Access via WeChat > Me > Payments & Services after registering with a Hong Kong mobile number.

For HK visitors this is an official guide. For non-HK foreigners, it shows that WeChat Pay integration with mainland merchant QR codes is the payment model — useful context even if HK-specific.

Open official source

China UnionPay / UnionPay International

UnionPay International — Official

official

UnionPay International provides global acceptance details and products for overseas cardholders.
UnionPay network spans multiple countries/regions and supports tourists' card usage in China via partner wallets/terminals.

Explains how non-Chinese cards can work in China through UnionPay rails and where acceptance is most reliable.

Open official source

Tencent / Weixin Pay

Weixin Pay — Official CMS (English)

official

Weixin Pay supports QR payments for transport, dining, and government services via integrated mini-programs.
Ecosystem includes ride, retail, and public services; foreigners can pay where enabled when supported cards are linked.

Explains where Weixin Pay works day-to-day (subway QR, restaurants, shops) and how it differs in ecosystem approach versus Alipay.

Open official source

Payment steps still treated as live app checks

All Alipay English documentation paths return 404, system error pages, or JS-only renders with no extractable content. The inbound tourist visitor card feature launched in 2023 has no accessible static English help page.

Merchant/dev portals and help centers are JS-rendered or require login; no public static visitor help page accessible.

Site returns JS-only or 404 for cardholder pages and sitemap; static fetch not viable.

No static video page found; Alipay official YouTube channel not confirmed.

Recent payment changes

Track new wallet routes without overpromising them

When payment options change, the safest user promise is still simple: verify the live app path, try one small payment, and keep a fallback before relying on it for taxis, food, or tickets.

PayPal + Weixin Pay is a watch item, not the default plan

Shenzhen Government Online reports a Tencent/PayPal QR-payment connection for U.S.-based PayPal users across Weixin Pay merchants in mainland China. We did not re-verify its current status in the July 24, 2026 source pass, so treat it as a promising extra path until you confirm eligibility, app version, region rollout, fees, limits, and a live small payment.

Open Shenzhen update

Cash became a rule on February 1, 2026

The central bank, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Financial Regulatory Administration issued Announcement [2025] No. 29 with the Provisions on RMB Cash Receipts, Payments and Services. Refusing cash, inducing others to refuse it, and treating cash payers worse are all prohibited, and unattended machines must show a fee-free cash route and a service phone number.

Open the cash provisions

Nihao China launched, with a three-network card list

UnionPay International launched the app at the China International Travel Mart on December 19, 2025 and announced it on December 24, 2025. The cards it binds are UnionPay, Visa and Mastercard issued outside the Chinese mainland. American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club are not named, and no fee or transaction limit is published on either UnionPay page.

Open the launch announcement

Trusted setup sources

Separate stable official tutorials from app flows that can change

Some setup topics have stable official references, while wallet screens and card-binding flows can change inside the app. That distinction keeps the guidance honest for travelers.

Strong official tutorial

Airalo iOS eSIM install

Airalo's help center provides a full iOS setup path with QR and manual methods. Use it for app-level eSIM screenshots and pre-flight instructions.

Open source

Strong official tutorial

Airalo Android eSIM install

The Android guide is usable for device setup language, but the page should still warn that Android menus vary by manufacturer.

Open source

Important caveat source

Apple eSIM travel guidance

Apple confirms China mainland eSIM limitations by iPhone model and purchase region, so do not assume universal eSIM support.

Open source

Useful but scoped

WeChat Pay HK mainland acceptance

WeChat Pay HK can be relevant for Hong Kong-number users crossing into mainland China, but it should not be presented as the default global visitor path.

Open source

Officially sourced wallet flows

What we can safely tell travelers before the app screen changes

Stable official guidance is separated from card-binding screens that can change inside Alipay or Weixin Pay, so travelers get practical steps without false certainty.

Risk: medium

Alipay account setup (foreign visitors)

Citation-first

1.Install Alipay from your official app store and select your region.
2.Create an account. Where Alipay offers inbound-visitor onboarding, you may be asked to verify identity (passport) in-app.
3.Link an eligible international bank card (availability varies by issuer/region). If linking fails, check issuer supports Alipay cross‑border and that 3‑D Secure/SMS verification works while roaming.
4.Practice both QR flows: (1) Scan the merchant's QR code in Alipay to pay; (2) Show your in‑app payment code for the merchant to scan when a merchant‑scan terminal is used.

Alipay Global — Merchant Portal

Risk: medium

WeChat/Weixin Pay card linking and payment

Citation-first

1.Install WeChat (international). Register an account and complete identity verification inside Wallet when prompted.
2.If you have a Hong Kong number, you can activate WeChat Pay HK (HKD Wallet) under Me > Payments & Services and link a card or top up HKD balance.
3.On mainland terminals, pay by: (1) scanning the merchant's QR inside WeChat; or (2) showing your WeChat payment code for the merchant to scan.
4.When available, link an eligible international card (availability varies by issuer/region and is subject to change). Test a small transaction first.

WeChat Pay HK — Official English Portal Weixin Pay — Official CMS (English)

Live app confirmation

Do not overpromise card binding or app screens

These gaps stay visible so the page earns trust: wallet screens, supported cards, and limits can change inside Alipay or Weixin Pay.

Alipay account setup (foreign visitors)

Visitor card binding steps and supported card brands (English)

Open Alipay and confirm the supported card brands, identity prompts, and any spending limits inside the live app before relying on it for your first checkout.

WeChat/Weixin Pay card linking and payment

Weixin Pay mainland visitor card binding (supported brands, KYC, limits)

Open WeChat or Weixin Pay and confirm the card-linking, identity, and mainland payment prompts inside the live app before travel day.

eSIM installation — Android (provider help)

Google/Android official eSIM setup documentation

Use the eSIM provider guide for the exact install steps, then confirm the final Android menu names on your phone because settings vary by manufacturer.

China carrier eSIM activation (store flow)

China Mobile / China Unicom / China Telecom eSIM help pages

Treat mainland carrier eSIM activation as an in-store confirmation item unless your phone, passport, and plan are confirmed by the carrier before arrival.

Evidence gate

Use payment guidance only when the source matches the traveler

Scoped official sources are separated from app-screen details that travelers should recheck inside the live wallet before relying on them.

Official but scoped

WeChat Pay HK mainland payment context

Use as a scoped payment reference for Hong Kong wallet users crossing into mainland China.

Open official source

Live app checks

Be honest where the official path lives inside the app

Alipay visitor card setup is best handled through the live app or official help path when screen flows change.

For Weixin Pay, confirm the current inbound visitor card-binding guidance in the app or official help pages.

Use UnionPay International and carrier eSIM pages as live references when screen flows or plan terms may change.

Card reality

A foreign credit card is useful, but usually not the first checkout interface

This is the explanation most pages skip. The card still matters, but in everyday China it often works best as the funding source behind Alipay or Weixin Pay.

Small restaurants, coffee, taxis, convenience stores

Best path: Mobile wallet linked to your foreign card

The merchant normally expects QR payment. The card sits behind Alipay or Weixin Pay instead of being handed to the cashier.

Hotels, airlines, high-end stores, some ticket counters

Best path: Physical Visa/Mastercard/AmEx or UnionPay card if accepted

Larger merchants are more likely to have card terminals, but acceptance is not universal. Keep the wallet ready anyway.

Metro, bus, local transport QR, food courts

Best path: Wallet transport code or single-ride ticket backup

Transport is usually app or QR-code oriented. If the transport code fails, use a machine, counter, or help desk.

Wallet/card verification fails

Best path: Second wallet, second card, then cash

Do not debug in a queue. Step aside, switch data/Wi-Fi, try the fallback, and resolve the wallet later. A staffed counter has to take cash, and an unattended machine has to display a cash route and a service phone number.

Decision point

Choose the payment stack that feels safest

Payment is one of the biggest first-day questions for visitors, so this works like a money setup desk rather than a wallet blog.

Weixin Pay vs Alipay for first-time visitors

The comparison page for travelers who need one wallet to lead and one backup to stay quiet.

Best option

Choose one primary wallet before departure.

Backup option

Keep the second wallet or a card until the first payment succeeds.

Open decision

Alipay setup

Best when the wallet layout feels easier to rehearse and you want a clean fallback path.

Best option

Set up Alipay before departure and open the payment area once.

Backup option

Let Weixin Pay or your card stay in reserve until Alipay feels real.

Open decision

Payment guides

Build the safest live-payment flow

Choose the primary wallet, rehearse the first payment, and keep a workable backup for the first 48 hours.

Choose the primary wallet

Decide whether Alipay or Weixin Pay should lead, instead of trying to learn both equally on the first day.

Best option

Pick one primary wallet before departure.

Backup option

Keep a second wallet or card ready until the first live payment succeeds.

Open guide

Rehearse your first payment

The first payment should feel familiar before it happens at a counter with people waiting behind you.

Best option

Open the wallet, payment code, and linked card area once before flying.

Backup option

Save screenshots and carry a card or limited cash fallback.

Open guide

Build the backup stack

A safe setup is never one payment method with no fallback when something gets blocked or delayed.

Best option

Keep one card plus one alternative digital route ready.

Backup option

Use hotel, airport, or friend assistance only as a last bridge.

Open guide

Reference pages

Then go deeper only where you need to

Once the decision is clear, users can open the deeper guide or comparison instead of reading everything from scratch.

How to pay in China

The main readiness guide for live transaction behavior, QR flow, and counter-side reality.

Read guide

Weixin Pay vs Alipay

The comparison page when you need one clear recommendation instead of ten opinions.

Read guide

Alipay setup

A calmer setup path for people who want a more explicit wallet flow and backup route.

Read guide

Practical scenes

Payment setup belongs in real travel moments

The wallet choice matters because of what happens on streets, in stations, and at counters. The images below keep this section grounded in actual traveler behavior.

Official Alipay connection guidance used for mobile payment setup

QR logic should feel familiar before the first counter

Travelers usually feel better when they have already seen the most common scan patterns before they try to pay live.

Open related page

Official Weixin Pay usage guidance for visitor payments

Daily payments happen in motion

The wallet setup matters because it affects cafés, convenience stores, and station-side purchases.

Open related page

Interior of a metro carriage in Shanghai

Transit and payments are connected

The cleaner the phone setup feels, the easier it becomes to move between metro gates, stations, and everyday spending moments.

Open related page

Before you book

Payment advice must stay tied to official sources

Wallet support, card binding, and visitor payment rules can change. This page keeps the core guidance close to official Tencent, Alipay, and government references.

People's Bank of China

Guide to Payment Services in China

Central-bank guide for overseas visitors covering mobile payment, bank cards, cash, and e-CNY service options.

Open source

State Council

Payment service guide for overseas visitors

Government-facing payment guide that explains the visitor payment stack, including mobile payments, bank cards, and cash support.

Open source

Beijing Municipal Government

How to pay in Beijing as a visitor

A practical official guide covering mobile payment, bank cards, cash, and e-CNY options for international visitors.

Open source

Tencent

Weixin Pay for overseas users

Tencent's official article on overseas users linking international cards and using Weixin Pay at mainland China merchants.

Open source

Shenzhen Government Online

Weixin Pay and PayPal visitor-payment update

Local-government news on the Tencent/PayPal QR-payment connection for U.S.-based PayPal users and the 2026 visitor-payment rollout around Shenzhen and APEC.

Open source

Alipay

Alipay customer support path

Official Alipay support instructions for users who need help when account, card, or payment setup gets stuck.

Open source