With the resumption of travel, international business and major sports events in China, Mastercard says that its cardholders can link their cards to WeChat Pay, or as it’s locally called Weixin Pay, a mobile payment service within the Weixin app, as a new payments option that further improves the digital payment experience of international travellers when visiting the country.

Expanding on a partnership established in 2019 to offer enhanced digital payment solutions, the latest development gives cardholders full access to Weixin Pay’s merchant network in China and, says the company. “It provides another safe and convenient way for international travellers to pay like a local when travelling around the Chinese mainland”.

Cardholders can use multiple payment methods through Weixin app, such as scanning QR codes, presenting payment codes and in-app payments.

Consumer spending, according to Mastercard data, has shown resilience with a continued focus on experiences and travel. During the second quarter of 2023, cross-border travel was robust, reaching 154% of 2019 levels, up 6% from the previous quarter.