Henan unveils measures to optimize payment services for the elderly and foreigners

Henan unveils measures to optimize payment services for the elderly and foreigners

河南发文提升老年人、外籍人员等群体支付便利性

Recently, the General Office of the People's Government of Henan Province issued the Implementation Plan for Further Optimizing Payment Services and Enhancing Payment Convenience in Henan (herein referred to as the Implementation Plan), aiming to improve the weak links in payment services for elderly people and foreigners in Henan, thus providing high-quality, efficient and convenient payment services for them.

日前，河南省政府办公厅印发《河南省进一步优化支付服务提升支付便利性实施方案》（以下简称《实施方案》），针对不同群体的支付习惯，统筹力量打通全省支付服务存在的堵点，为老年人、外籍来豫人员等群体提供更加优质、高效、便捷的支付服务。

Optimizing payment services is a comprehensive project that requires joint efforts of different departments. The Implementation Plan puts forward 15 key tasks from 6 aspects to effectively optimize payment services and enhance payment convenience in Henan.

优化支付服务是一项系统工程，需多方面综合施策、共同发力。《实施方案》从六个方面提出15项重点任务，切实优化河南省支付服务，提升支付便利性。

As for promoting the usability of bank cards in key places, the Implementation Plan stresses to continuously enhance the convenience of elderly people and foreigners in using bank cards, especially for public utility payments and medical services as well as in scenic areas and shopping malls. Besides, local authorities are also asked to give priority to such scenarios as "eating, living, traveling, shopping, entertainment, and medical care", and formulate a list of key commercial tenants in key scenarios, including large commercial districts, scenic areas, resort areas, nighttime cultural and tourist consumption clusters, cultural and museum venues, entertainment venues, hotels, transportation hubs, hospitals, etc., striving to ensure that foreign bank cards are available at more than 50 percent of key commercial tenants by the end of May 2024 and all by the end of August.

在改善银行卡受理环境方面，《实施方案》明确，不断提升老年人、外籍来豫人员等群体使用银行卡的便利性，支持公共事业缴费、医疗、景区、商场等便民场景使用银行卡支付。各地要聚焦“食、住、行、游、购、娱、医”等场景，制定大型商圈、旅游景区、旅游度假区、夜间文化和旅游消费集聚区、文博场馆、文娱场所、酒店、交通枢纽站点、医院等重点场所及重点商户名录，力争2024年5月底前推动50%以上的重点商户可受理境外银行卡，力争2024年8月底前实现重点商户全部可受理境外银行卡。

The Implementation Plan also stresses continuously improving the cash payment environment. Commercial banks are encouraged to launch standardized and diversified RMB "petty cash" packages to meet the public's different needs in key areas, such as large business areas, scenic areas, transportation hubs and hospitals. Besides, the banks are also encouraged to update their ATMs based on the actual conditions. The updated ATMs will not only allow elder people and foreigners to withdraw petty cash directly, but also accept foreign bank cards. More than 97 percent of ATMs will accept foreign bank cards by the end of May 2024.

《实施方案》还提出，要提升日常消费领域现金收付服务能力，银行要主动推出标准化、多样化的人民币现金“零钱包”产品，服务范围覆盖大型商圈、旅游景区、交通出行、医院等重点现金使用场所，满足公众多层次人民币现金服务需求。持续开展ATM（自动取款机）银行卡受理改造，鼓励银行结合实际开通自助设备支取小面额零钞功能，支持老年人、外籍来豫人员等群体使用境内外银行卡支取人民币现金，力争2024年5月底前全省全国性银行机构支持境外银行卡支取人民币现金的ATM占比达到97%以上。

The Implementation Plan also stresses respecting different payment habits. Key places such as large business areas, scenic areas, resort areas, cultural and museum venues, entertainment venues, hotels, transportation hubs and hospitals must be equipped with necessary payment facilities that accept mobile payments, bank cards and cash transactions. Besides, the places that are not included in the list of key commercial tenants in key places are encouraged to install such facilities to jointly build an inclusive payment environment. Signs such as "foreign bank cards accepted" "ATM encashment" "cash payment" and "currency exchange" will be posted by the end of August 2024, covering all the key scenarios and commercial tenants, and the necessary training for those in need shall be strengthened.

针对部分外籍人员感觉支付习惯和消费方式不太适应的问题，《实施方案》明确提出要更好保障消费者支付选择权，各地确定的大型商圈、旅游景区、旅游度假区、文博场馆、文娱场所、酒店、交通枢纽站点、医院等重点场所必须配备受理移动支付、银行卡、现金等必需的软硬件设施，保障消费者自主选择支付方式及工具。鼓励未纳入重点场所及重点商户名录的商圈、旅游景区、旅游度假区、文博场馆、文娱场所、酒店、交通枢纽站点、医院等积极创造条件比照办理，共同构建包容多样的支付受理环境。张贴境外银行卡刷卡、ATM银行卡取现、现金收款、个人本外币兑换等标识，强化业务人员培训，力争2024年8月底前完成重点场所、重点商户标识张贴工作。（中文来源/大河网 记者/王靖 编译/杨佳欣 实习生 李凯 邱昌琪 审校/焦丹）