China opens WeChat Pay, Alipay to foreign credit cards

[Heartlander]

On 9/17/2024 at 10:11 AM, Lala81 said:

Easy to search in english for baidu map? or all chinese

 

So from what you guys say. E-wallet is need bank account. like Paylah. 
But vendor to customer purchase/payment, Wechat/alipay with CC is no problem then 

I have not used the e-wallet function of Alipay yet, only tieing a Visa card to it for making payment. From my acquaintances who got local people to load cash into their Alipay app, can choose to make payment from the credit card or e-wallet if got money loaded. This E-wallet is the last barrier that remain out of reach for foreigners using Alipay.

[Albeniz]

On 9/16/2024 at 7:44 PM, Volvobrick said:

Get simba 12 dollars plan. It works. Slow but normal banned apps will work for foreign SIM carda.

You need either Alipay or wechat pay. No app, go hungry! 

Hotels should accept Visa /Master cards. 

Train tickets I think can try ctrip. Not sure, never have to buy myself. Now foreign Passports can be used to go through the gantry, no need to collect physical ticket (you still can collect from the counter if you want to have peace of mind). 

I might just bump into u in SH! 

 

 

 

Thanks, will consider getting SIMBA, so that I could use the banned apps like Whatsapp there.

I was told by the Ah Beng handphone shop to get CMlink  (China Mobile) before traveling to China, but not sure if this SIM and plan is able to allow the use of  WhatsApp?

 

[Albeniz]

I am currently on Heya plan in Singapore.

Does Heya plan allows the reception of SMS in China?  Asking, in case I need to do some internet banking and the bank sent me an OTP which I cannot receive, then-----> chum!

 

[inlinesix]

On 9/18/2024 at 6:17 PM, Albeniz said:

I am currently on Heya plan in Singapore.

Does Heya plan allows the reception of SMS in China?  Asking, in case I need to do some internet banking and the bank sent me an OTP which I cannot receive, then-----> chum!

 

A lot of banks use in-app approval 

[jcmm]

On 9/18/2024 at 6:17 PM, Albeniz said:

I am currently on Heya plan in Singapore.

Does Heya plan allows the reception of SMS in China?  Asking, in case I need to do some internet banking and the bank sent me an OTP which I cannot receive, then-----> chum!

 

Which bank u r using? Lucky I am on DBS.... no more SMS OTP.  

Edited September 18, 2024 by jcmm

[Mkl22]

On 9/17/2024 at 8:02 AM, Heartlander said:

1. If you want most hassle free way, just subscribe roaming plan from your telco in Singapore. For example Singtel got this 4GB data plan at $18 that should be enough unless  you plan to catch dramas while there. This will ensure all your traffic are routed through Singapore so you will will have access to all the google services including Whatsapp, chrome, Map, Facebook, etc, etc.

2. As above.

3. Within Alipay app, you will have access to all the essential payment modules for train, bus, bicycle, etc, etc. But you will need to activate the respective train module when you are in different cities though before you can use it. Maybe garode map would be enough. Google map can work but seriously outdated.

 4. Always bring along one of Visa and Mastercard as sometimes certain places cannot work so you will have fall back. For example during my Beijing trip a year ago, the hotel cannot accept Alipay  through Visa, but Mastercard ok, and Visa card hv no issues for the rest of the trip then. 

5. Paying through Alipay is easy: either you Scan the merchant's QR code and enter the amount yourself, or you press the Pay option to generate a QR code for the merchant to scan after which the exact amount will be deducted. The later is more common among convenient stores and shops.

6. Cash is still accepted but many places will tell you they never see cash for long time already, and worst case to happen is not to get the change back. Better have backup in case cash not accepted. To me Alipay is a must if you want to have hassle free trip. My MIL just left for Chengdu on a 10 day trip and I was surprised to hear that the tour operator advised her to carry alot of cash and no need for Alipay or Wechat during pre-trip briefing. I nearly fell off the chair but let it be as she quite confident of the tour operator haha.

Which stupid tour operator? 😂

or stupid tour guide wanna con ah? 🤣

[Mkl22]

On 9/17/2024 at 10:55 AM, Heartlander said:

I have not used the e-wallet function of Alipay yet, only tieing a Visa card to it for making payment. From my acquaintances who got local people to load cash into their Alipay app, can choose to make payment from the credit card or e-wallet if got money loaded. This E-wallet is the last barrier that remain out of reach for foreigners using Alipay.

I do the same. Have the Alipay wallet loaded. Also added credit card as backup. 
100% of the time, the wallet works. If the credit card doesn’t work it will auto default to wallet. 

But locals typically prefer WeChat rather than Alipay. 

[Mkl22]

On 9/17/2024 at 9:23 AM, Tohto said:

Now Wechat pay or Alipay will settle all payment, just tight to a CC. Why bother to waste time open bank account.

Unlike previously these payment mode cannot be used by foreigners .

Hotel wifi not sometime cannot connect, is for sure cannot contact to WhatsApp, Telegram, IG, Youtube etc.... Even in a 5 Star hotel like Hayat.  Pre-Covid access is more easy, now is almost everything also cannot using local network without data roaming.

Also must download Baidu map. Google map is useless in China.

Last year there were a couple of instances for me that the credit card tied to Alipay did not work. Had to switch to my Alipay wallet to get the transaction thru. 

[Lala81]

Any practical difference between we chat payment vs ALipay payment. 

Though most of us in sg might already have Alipay cos of taobao. 

[Volvobrick]

On 9/18/2024 at 6:02 PM, Albeniz said:

Thanks, will consider getting SIMBA, so that I could use the banned apps like Whatsapp there.

I was told by the Ah Beng handphone shop to get CMlink  (China Mobile) before traveling to China, but not sure if this SIM and plan is able to allow the use of  WhatsApp?

 

China Local SIM - Sometimes can, sometimes cannot. Or WhatsApp without photo. 

Don't bother lah. Trust me rather than the Ah Beng shop! 

[Volvobrick]

On 9/18/2024 at 7:42 PM, Mkl22 said:

I do the same. Have the Alipay wallet loaded. Also added credit card as backup. 
100% of the time, the wallet works. If the credit card doesn’t work it will auto default to wallet. 

But locals typically prefer WeChat rather than Alipay. 

I never installed wechat pay as it asks for more personal details and since I already have Alipay and so far never encountered rejection by the shops. 

[Mkl22]

On 9/18/2024 at 7:57 PM, Lala81 said:

Any practical difference between we chat payment vs ALipay payment. 

Though most of us in sg might already have Alipay cos of taobao. 

yes, especially for restaurant food ordering. much easier in wechat as the menu is also wechat based. you scan for the menu using wechat and then order and pay via wechat. you can use alipay also but i think you will need to do it manually with help from restaurant staff.

also with credit cards, there is sometimes a service fee charged in RMB, then you will have the credit card exchange rates and maybe another fee by the credit card company on your statement. i get pissed seeing all these extra fees. so rather have some money in the wallet.

Edited September 19, 2024 by Mkl22

[Heartlander]

On 9/19/2024 at 8:32 AM, Mkl22 said:

yes, especially for restaurant food ordering. much easier in wechat as the menu is also wechat based. you scan for the menu using wechat and then order and pay via wechat. you can use alipay also but i think you will need to do it manually with help from restaurant staff.

also with credit cards, there is sometimes a service fee charged in RMB, then you will have the credit card exchange rates and maybe another fee by the credit card company on your statement. i get pissed seeing all these extra fees. so rather have some money in the wallet.

Many makan places in China be it roadside small eateries or in malls nowadays have this self-ordering system which We also have in Singapore. I used Alipay to order and pay without problem except for once that the menu kept failing to render properly, so i ended doing it through my friend. So definitely better to have both Alipay and Wechat payment set up properly just in case.

[Tohto]

On 9/19/2024 at 9:25 AM, Heartlander said:

Many makan places in China be it roadside small eateries or in malls nowadays have this self-ordering system which We also have in Singapore. I used Alipay to order and pay without problem except for once that the menu kept failing to render properly, so i ended doing it through my friend. So definitely better to have both Alipay and Wechat payment set up properly just in case.

Yah. I have both set up but only use Wechat pay.

[inlinesix]

 

[Lala81]

I was at a restaurant in Kyoto. They offer qr code paypay which accepts Alipay. 

I added my youtrip card and tried to pay and it rejected. Saying need to register? 

never use Alipay before other than for taobao.