Fujian improves payment options for tourists

Cross-Strait business travelers to enjoy more benefits from opening-up efforts

The mainland coastal province of Fujian has made concrete headway in improving payment services for Taiwan visitors and other overseas travelers, official data showed, reflecting the country's strengthened efforts to deepen opening-up and boost cross-Strait integrated development.

Data from the Fujian Provincial Branch of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, showed that 98.59 percent of 10,805 key merchants across the province now accept overseas bank cards, up a whopping 47 percentage points compared with the end of February.

Also, 99 percent of automated teller machines in the province operated by commercial banks with nationwide branches now accept overseas bank cards, up 13 percentage points from the end of February. The improvements came after the provincial government of Fujian released a circular in April calling for collaborated efforts among authorities to optimize payment services.