China’s foreign ministry has announced that an increasing number of the country’s overseas embassies are connecting with mobile payments service Alipay.
According to a report from Sina Alipay is currently available as a payment option for services at Chinese embassies and consular offices in 12 locations around the world, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Dubai, Finland, the Netherlands, Singapore, Denmark the UK, the US, Russia and Macau.
The service enables people to make renminbi payments for services including passport and visa applications at the most favourable real time exchange rates, saving them both money and hassle.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has flagged the further expansion of mobile payments options at embassies and consular offices in future.
“We will gradually connect to mobile payments, provide more cutting-edge consular services,” said foreign minister Wang Yi (王毅) at a press conference on 8 March.
