More poking around and I've learned a bit:

I can't find emergency contacts on the PC, but I did find them on her iPad and it let me set them. I can't set anything else in there from the iPad, though--everything else says to do it from the phone. And I still haven't gotten into the phone. There's also a link with Facebook option, likewise only settable on the phone.

We are US-based, we don't have Chinese phone numbers at all and there's no way we are going to be going over there until the quarantine requirement is dropped--that's probably going to be a while. For her WeChat is about talking with people in China, mostly her sisters.

My one prior attempt with the WeChat team produced no response at all. Do they not speak English? (She's not at all technical, this sort of thing is always my job.)

I don't know. I would assume they use their own "translate" function because it works well, but I've always messaged them using Chinese because my questions aren't challenging and I wanted to completely eliminate the language variable.

Chinese phone numbers won't really help you until you make your next trip, but WeChat Pay is kind of useful.

What is the state of US credit card integration with WeChat Pay at the moment? I think this would be the only reason for me to consider signing up for WeChat. I still don't have it and I need a compelling reason to do so.

Non-Chinese cards work for an extremely small subset of merchants (e.g. cell phones, airlines, ctrip).

With respect to the "compelling reason", WeChat/Alipay spare you the need to carry any cash at all (or even your wallet).

And the discounts :D

Many tourist spots have gone contactless because of Covid. So if you don't have WeChat Pay then you won't even be able to buy a ticket.

Again, how will international tourists get around it if one needs a Chinese phone number and bank account?

They'd prefer tourists to stick with tour groups for easier supervision...

Getting a SIM doesn't require more than 30 minutes.

Verified SIM?

Even if international tourist can get that, bank account will be challenge.

AliPay has tourist pass which you can use a foreign credit card. I use my chase sapphire reserve.

Many merchants can directly charge your credit card through the tourist pass QR code of your credit card. In the unusual instances where it rejects the foreign CC, you can load money onto your tour pass “debit card” QR code for a 5% transaction fee. Even merchants that definitely cannot swipe any foreign CC in the literal sense can still usually charge your foreign CC through tourist pass. I use it at convenience stores, small localish restaurants, even in tier 2 or 3 cities. I check my chass statements and there’s no fee or markup when they directly charge your tourist pass CC

I use aliPay far more often than WeChat pay.

If you’re not living here full time then just use aliPay and cash. If you’re living here full time then get a bank account at a local bank. China merchant bank took about 1 hour to open me an account with passport, employment contract, phone number with name verification.

HSBC was surprisingly awful to try to work with.

Smaller banks (e.g Huaxia) tend to entail less bureaucracy than big banks (e.g. BOC), BUT some of them don't work with WeChat/Alipay unless you have a PRC ID.

Before applying for any bank account (big or small bank), be sure come prepared with:
-passport
-visa/RP/WP
-phone number
-temporary residence permit (if you're staying at a hotel, they can print this out; otherwise, the local police station can if you show them a rental agreement)
-cash for initial deposit (Y1000 is probably enough unless you are aiming for a fancy account)
-ask the bank people to help you set up WeChat Pay and Alipay before you leave (make sure you're already registered to speed up the process)

Am I missing anything?

[QUOTE=GloballyServiced;33287711]AliPay has tourist pass which you can use a foreign credit card.QUOTE]

That's still available? OK tourists better get that then.

Why not get full fledged accounts instead? The cell phone and bank account drills are only a minor PITA if you have your ducks in order, and foreign cards are easy to add; you just can't use them at Lawson's. I would not pay a 5% transaction fee (did I get that right?) to be able to use foreign cards with a tourist pass.

Your post just made me a very happy guy! How do I get an Alipay tourist pass? What are the limitations? Where can I read up more on it? Does dining code as restaurant purchases on your Chase card?