涵涵君的小站中文
来中国旅行或出差，支付方式是需要提前了解的一件事。目前中国已形成移动支付、银行卡、现金并行发展的支付环境，外国人可以按自己的习惯选择。
- 移动支付：支付宝、微信支付均支持绑定境外银行卡。一般用境外手机号注册、以护照完成实名认证，即可在商户扫码或出示付款码支付。
- 额度：据中国人民银行 2024 年 3 月介绍，外籍来华人员使用移动支付的单笔交易限额已由 1000 美元提高到 5000 美元，年累计交易限额由 1 万美元提高到 5 万美元。
- 受理范围：按照《关于进一步优化支付服务提升支付便利性的意见》（国办发〔2024〕10号），食、住、行、游、购、娱、医等重点场景要同时具备受理移动支付、银行卡和现金的软硬件条件。
- 现金仍可用：该意见明确“坚持现金兜底定位”，要求经营主体依法依规保障现金支付，不得随意拒收人民币现金，并要求在机场、口岸、酒店等场所增设外币兑换机构和设施。
- 刷卡：境外银行卡可在受理外卡的商户刷卡消费，也可在境内 ATM 支取人民币现金；大型商圈、旅游景区、酒店、交通枢纽站点、医院等是重点受理场所。
- 离境退税：境外旅客在指定退税商店购物，可按规定在出境口岸办理离境退税，退税款一般退至指定账户或以现金方式支付，具体以口岸退税机构公布为准。
为什么有时会失败：境外卡绑定时，可能因为发卡行风控、手机号收不到验证码、卡种暂不支持等原因失败。遇到这种情况，可以换一张卡再试，或直接改用现金、刷卡；部分小额交易可能免密支付。
出发前的建议：先安装好支付宝或微信，绑定一张可用的境外银行卡并完成实名认证，同时随身携带少量人民币现金作为备用。多数酒店、商场和交通枢纽也能刷卡，但街边小店仍以移动支付和现金为主。
以上为一般性说明，具体要求与最新规定以官方发布为准。
English
How to Pay in China as a Foreign Visitor: Mobile Payment, Cards and Cash
Payment is one of the first practical things to sort out before a trip to China. The country now runs on three parallel payment channels - mobile payment, bank cards and cash - so foreign visitors can pick what suits them.
- Mobile payment: both Alipay and WeChat Pay let you link an overseas bank card. In general you register with an overseas phone number and verify your identity with your passport, then you can pay by scanning a merchant's QR code or showing your own payment code.
- Limits: according to the People's Bank of China (March 2024), the single-transaction limit for foreign visitors using mobile payment was raised from USD 1,000 to USD 5,000, and the annual cumulative limit from USD 10,000 to USD 50,000.
- Where it works: under the State Council's 2024 guidance on improving payment services, key scenarios such as dining, lodging, transport, sightseeing, shopping, entertainment and healthcare must be equipped to accept mobile payment, bank cards and cash alike.
- Cash still works: the same guidance keeps cash as the fallback option, requires businesses to safeguard cash payment, bars merchants from refusing RMB cash at will, and calls for more currency-exchange facilities at airports, ports and hotels.
- Cards: overseas bank cards can be used at merchants that accept foreign cards and to withdraw RMB cash from domestic ATMs. Major shopping districts, tourist sites, hotels, transport hubs and hospitals are priority acceptance points.
- Departure tax refund: foreign travellers who shop at designated tax-refund stores can apply for a departure tax refund at the exit port, usually paid to a nominated account or in cash; details follow the port's refund authority.
Why a card sometimes fails: linking an overseas card can fail because of the issuing bank's risk controls, an SMS code that never arrives, or a card type that is not yet supported. In that case, try another card, or simply fall back on cash or card payment at the counter; some small payments may go through without a password.
Before you fly: install Alipay or WeChat, link a working overseas card and complete identity verification, and keep a small amount of RMB cash as a backup. Most hotels, malls and transport hubs also take cards, but small street shops still lean on mobile payment and cash.
The above is general guidance only. For specific requirements and the latest rules, please refer to official announcements.
