Alla Diasamidze, from Georgia, displays a Change Purse she has received at the Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch in Luohu District yesterday morning. The purse contained small bank notes worth 200 yuan in cash.
Alla Diasamidze, from Georgia, smoothly withdrew 200 yuan (US$27.6) in cash with her overseas bank card and exchanged the two 100-yuan notes for smaller notes of the same value at the Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch in Luohu District yesterday morning.
The service Diasamidze used is called Change Purse, which was recently launched by major financial institutions in Shenzhen under the guidance of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) Shenzhen Central Sub-branch. The service is now available at 1,640 bank branches and 31 currency exchanges in major checkpoints and transportation hubs in Shenzhen.
The Change Purse is just one among four achievements in facilitating international payments that were unveiled at the official launch ceremony of the 2024 Shenzhen International Shopping Carnival, which was held at the PBOC Shenzhen Central Sub-branch yesterday.
"The service is very convenient, allowing me to make payments anywhere here in Shenzhen," Diasamidze said.
She added that although cashless payment is the mainstream in China, using cash remains the best option for short-term travelers from abroad. For example, her family and friends who visit her appreciate not having to download mobile payment apps and link their bank cards.
Expats and foreign visitors can enjoy the convenience of WeChat Pay, one of China's leading mobile payment services, by linking their overseas bank cards to the app. For the initial setup, users are required to provide some basic information, including details of the overseas bank card, and face transaction limits. Users wishing to avoid transaction limits can submit more comprehensive information.
The other two achievements include the e-CNY Hardware Wallet and the establishment of 100 payment demonstration areas where overseas bank cards and e-CNY are widely accepted.
The e-CNY Hardware Wallet is a card that can be topped up with cash or a foreign credit card, such as a Visa or Mastercard, and does not require an internet connection or battery to function. It is compatible with over 36,000 payment devices and 100 bus routes. Users can opt for a refund upon leaving the city or retain the balance for their next visit.
Furthermore, e-CNY Hardware Wallet users can access discounts and collect consumer vouchers from local governments, commercial areas, and merchants. Nearly 30,000 such cards have been distributed to date.
During the carnival, which will run until the end of this month, a total of 340 activities will be held including the distribution of consumer coupons.