Solana Becomes First 'Inbound Consumer-Friendly Business District' in China

On April 8, with the guidance of the People's Bank of China and other administrative authorities and the support of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Local Financial Regulation and Supervision and Chaoyang District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, Solana was designated as the payment service demonstration block of Chaoyang District and the first "Inbound Consumer-Friendly Business District" in China.

"I have to say, it felt so good to scan and pay with my mobile phone just like back home!" exclaimed Rana, a 25-year-old businessman from Pakistan who had an enjoyable time at Solana. "I used my own country's e-wallet NayaPay for all my payments, with no need to download Alipay or anything else."

Ensuring convenient payment options is a crucial element in fostering consumer-friendly experiences. Currently, every cashier within the mall prominently showcases English signs indicating "Scan to Pay with Your Local E-Wallet", while key merchants accept Visa cards for transactions. Moreover, numerous restaurants not only offer English menus but also have staff members proficient in English communication.

At the local malls' information desks, dozens of copies of Digital Payment Guide in both Chinese and English are neatly arranged on shelves for consumers to read. Additionally, multiple English signs are prominently displayed at receptions, offering guidance to foreign tourists on binding their Visa cards or overseas e-wallets for mobile payments.

Foreigners can utilize overseas e-wallets in China to pay directly by scanning QR codes for mobile payments in the country. Currently, through integration with Alipay+, a total of 11 e-wallets from countries such as the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Pakistan, as well as regions including China's Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR can be used for QR code-based transactions in the Chinese mainland.

Chaoyang District has achieved full coverage of foreign card POS machines in five commercial complexes including SKP, and is preparing to launch a map mini-program presenting the locations for foreign currency exchanges in the district. Additionally, version 1.0 of the English Chaoyang Foreigners Handbook will be released to provide visual guidance for foreign visitors.

On April 8, representatives from the payment and financial sectors, and commercial service industries in China and other countries and regions launched the "Joint Construction Plan for Inbound Consumer-Friendly Business Districts" at Solana. Leading companies and institutions such as Ant Group, NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, Bank of China, Visa, and DiDi Chuxing were among the first to join. They will roll out initiatives to enhance inbound payment convenience services in key business and travel cities, with a focus on core business districts.

Representatives from multiple Chinese and foreign payment companies, banks, major business districts, and service industry entities are collaborating to promote the "Beijing Experience" of jointly constructing "Inbound Consumer-Friendly Business Districts" in other major cities throughout China.

Source: Beijing Daily

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