One example of the strengthened ties between China and Vanuatu is that Mandarin Chinese became an optional subject in Vanuatu's public schools since 2020, which can further enhance understanding between the two peoples, said Jesse Luo, a Vanuatu parliament member.
Speaking in an interview to China Global Television Network (CGTN), Luo said young generation can learn more about advanced policies through learning the language of China.
"Because through the language we can understand the culture of each other. Because of China and Vanuatu, we have also very similar traditional customs. We also respect our family. Vanuatu is a small country, but inside our customs are very strong. Our small countries must learn the culture and we can get more understanding how to follow the advanced policy [can] come to Vanuatu. And also the young generation can learn a lot of language, he can learn difference for economy, for technology. After, we can get more new ideas to open our people's eyes, open our people's minds to develop our country. So this is more important. [We] need Vanuatu to study in Mandarin to understand in the outside world what's going on," he said.
Meanwhile, Luo also pointed out that more exchange event of students can help Vanuatu young people learn more about Chinese culture.
"And also for my opinion, we already open to agriculture exchange and culture education centers in China, one in Chongqing, one in Beijing. After, we can exchange more students to learn from each other, to share the experience and also can improve, make more friends, because the more [someone] goes to China, the more he can understand the Chinese culture," said the Vanuatu MP.
Chinese language learning boosts mutual understanding: Vanuatu MP
Chinese language learning boosts mutual understanding: Vanuatu MP
China has intensified efforts to streamline payment options for foreign visitors this year, aimed at enhancing their travel experience and boost inbound tourism, which has seen steady growth in recent years.
From January to November, the number of foreign arrivals in China surged by 86.2 percent year on year, reaching 29.2 million.
This influx of tourists has been accompanied by a significant rise in the use of foreign payment methods.
In the first half of this year alone, transaction volumes of foreigners using overseas wallet apps to pay for goods and services in China increased more than sevenfold, according to data from NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, a Chinese online payment clearing house under the People's Bank of China.
During the same period, the number of foreign wallet transactions in China hit 28.75 million, up 5.29 times from the previous year. Meanwhile, transaction volume reached 5.32 billion yuan (about 729 million U.S. dollars), a 7.67-fold increase from last year's figures.
Overseas bank cards are now widely accepted across China, and Chinese mobile payment giants Alipay and WeChat Pay have integrated Visa and Mastercard, allowing foreign visitors to pay seamlessly like locals. "We managed to link our two credit cards to Alipay, and everything worked fine. We looked on the Internet, there are some blogs that explain how to create your Alipay account and how to link your credit card. We only paid with the QR code, almost did not use cash," said a foreign visitor.
"Our collaboration with Alipay and WeChat, is just the first start. Really what it enabled is our global network, our global consumer base, and our global partner network with all the financial institutions. And also another good example is we just announced in September that the Beijing subway can accept direct Mastercard payment. So, as an inbound traveler to Beijing, for them to take subway, they just need to tap their Mastercard at the gate and they can enter the subway," said Dennis Chang, president of Mastercard Greater China.
In September, Beijing's subway system launched a service allowing passengers to tap their Mastercard or Visa card at the gate, eliminating the need for physical tickets.
Since Sept 13, a total of 490 stations across the city's subway network have adopted this new system, further improving convenience for foreign visitors.
China expands payment options for int'l inbound tourists
