Recently, three departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission ("NDRC"), have distributed the Circular on Better Regulating and Guiding the Improvement to the Payment Convenience for Tourists (the "Circular").
The Circular states that clarity is provided for relevant matters with a view to solving the difficulty facing foreign tourists in making RMB payments in cash during their travels in China. The first is strengthening supervisory checks of the receipt and payment methods. The second is intensifying the management of RMB cash services. The third is providing more convenience in foreign-related financial services. The fourth is instructing scenery spots to improve the quality of their tourist services. And the fifth is better safeguarding tourists' rights and interests and guiding public opinions. Moreover, the Circular requires that, investigations shall be made through joint efforts to look into and verify complaints about RMB cash payments, especially those complaints made against tourist sites and surrounding booths, and severely crack down on any refusal to accept cash payments. Furthermore, the Circular notes that attention shall be paid to the security and diversity of payment methods available within scenery spots, and that conditions to accept cash payments shall be guaranteed and sufficient payment-related devices with all necessary functions, including the point of sale ("POS") terminals for bank cards, mobile payment terminals and money detectors, shall be provided.