A family member will be doing a gap year in Chengdu (about ten months there). On a previous trip to Xi'an, he had to rely on host family members for AliPay/WeChat payments, so he is looking for greater independence this time around.
The group he is going with will issue him a Chinese smartphone once he is in-country.
We read a bewildering array of suggestions and advice regarding the best way that foreigners in China can handle banking issues. One source says it's getting harder for foreigners to open a Chinese bank account, others say it is no problem with an X1 or X2 visa. We have not applied for the visa yet, so I am unsure what kind it will be. Last time they issued him an F visa.
We have a few HSBC branches around here, so he can go to a branch if necessary; he is now over 18, so technically an adult. Can the collective wisdom of the thread clue us in? Thanks in advance.