扫码买一切 QR codes are on the rise in China

A video clip of a foreigner failing to collect his movie ticket after scanning(扫 sǎo) the QR code(二维码 èrwéimǎ) on the ticket vending machine has become a hit on Weibo, China's Twitter-like social platform. Many netizens said the sight reminded them of the first time they tried to fetch(取 qǔ) the ticket(票 piào) in the same way.

[Photo: CGTN]

Mobile payment has become so prevalent in China that even street vendors(商贩 shāngfàn) display a printed QR code for people to scan.

According to a report from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), about 583 million people used(使用 shǐyòng) mobile payment(移动支付 yídòng zhīfù) in China in 2018, an increase of 10.7 percent over 2017. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) statistics showed that transactions made via non-banking institutions reached 177.77 billion in the second quarter of 2019, up 44.52% from the same period last year.

[Photo: CGTN]

China mobile payment giants Alipay and WeChat Pay have started allowing overseas users to link their accounts(账户 zhànghù) to international bank cards, by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Global Network and JCB, a move cheered by many.

As a growing number of foreigners are making trips to China, or even working here, more of them are expected to enjoy the convenience(便利 biànlì) of the QR code by the cashier.

[Photo: CGTN]

In the meantime, scanning the QR code is getting a higher chance of going global.

中国常见支付方式 Payment methods in China

[zhīfùbǎo] 支付宝 Alipay
[wēixìn zhīfù] 微信支付 WeChat Pay
[xiànjīn] 现金 cash
[xìnyòngkǎ] 信用卡 credit card
[jièjìkǎ] 借记卡 debit card