Beijing has introduced two pioneering products that provide convenient and integrated payment and communications services for foreign visitors in China. These new products, namely the “Changyoutong” device and “Mifangka” card, were launched at the “Beijing Service” counter at Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport.
UnionPay QR code: shopping with easy payments
With a built-in display, camera and card slot, the “Changyoutong” device is only the size of a power bank but can support both SIM card and bank card services, with multiple functions such as Wi-Fi access, QR code payment and voice interpretation. This cutting-edge portable terminal was co-developed by China UnionPay, the Bank of Beijing and China Unicom Beijing. Device rental and return services are available at the payment service counter located less than 100 meters from the International Arrivals Exit of Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport.
According to what our correspondent saw at the service counter, a foreign visitor can, after presenting his/her passport, select a short-term communication package, rent a “Changyoutong” device, activate a Bank of Beijing-issued Changyoutong card, and secure instant top-up- all in five minutes.
“After topping up the card by bank cards or by cash, visitors can insert a physical UnionPay card into the ‘Changyoutong’ device to enable QR code payments”, said a staff at the service counter. Payments with such a device can be made by both scanning merchants’ UnionPay QR code and having their QR code on the device scanned. Every foreigner can pay with such a single scan when dining at a restaurant, shopping at a mall, or purchasing unique souvenirs from a street vendor, enjoying convenient and effective payment services.
“Tap & Go”: paying with e-CNY
NFC contactless payment is one of the mainstream payment methods commonly used by foreigners. Based on such payment preference, “Mifangka” cards were introduced by the Bank of China, China Unicom, and Beijing Municipal Administration & Communication Card Co., Ltd.. The SIM-based cards, when activated in smart phones, enable users to make calls, get Internet access, pay with e-CNY, and use Beijing’s urban public transit services.
“Thanks to the widespread application of the “Mifangka” cards in multiple scenarios, foreign visitors now spend dramatically less time to activate different services at different counters,” introduced by the Bank of China. What’s more, “Mifangka” cards could be used immediately after topping up, without the bother to download or register any APP. It’s quite hassle-free that even when your smart phone runs down or is unable to connect to the Internet, you can still pay via NFC if your smart phone has such a card in it. “You can tap your smart phone to take metro from the airport, and make payments to merchants accepting e-CNY hardware wallet.”
It’s learned that the “Changyoutong” devices would soon be put to a pilot test among inbound visitors, and officially released once the terminals pass testing and obtain certification by industry and information technology authorities. “Mifangka” cards have been opened to the public. Each “Changyoutong” account currently has a cumulative top-up cap of 10,000 yuan and a maximum single payment amount of 1,000 yuan. The top-up amount for a single wallet of “Mifangka” card shall not exceed 5,000 yuan, and the single payment cap is 500 yuan. Now these services can only be used for consumption, meaning that the money therein cannot be transferred or withdrawn.
“Beijing Service” counters: providing high-frequency services
“The products integrating bank cards and communication cards, while facilitating payments for foreign visitors, present China’s payment technology and concepts to the rest of the world,” said Jiang Xiangling, Director of Payment and Settlement Department, Beijing Municipal Branch of the People’s Bank of China. Beijing has guaranteed foreign visitors the right to choose payment methods by offering diversified solutions. For one thing, contactless payment and payment by card make foreigners “feel at home”, and for another, QR code payment helps them “adapt to local habit”.
Beijing has pioneered in building airport payment service demonstration zones accommodating diversified payment demands of consumers from different countries. As of the end of 2024, the payment service demonstration zones at two airports, Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, have offered consulting services for 31,000 foreign visitors, with a total of 1.07 million transactions handled including payment and cash withdrawals with foreign bank cards, and foreign currency exchange, involving 550 million yuan.
According to the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management, the “Beijing Service” counters at airports provide over 20 high-frequency services covering finance, communication, transportation, culture and tourism.
