I checked the “add card” and it shows AmEx as an option. But I have no way of knowing if AmEx has a different success rate for charging directly.

The charge on my credit card just shows AliPay as the merchant and is equal to the RMB charge amount times the day’s exchange rate. Just like any other foreign CC transaction.

I guess I'll have to test this when international travel resumes.

I don't know if AliPay is converting it to USD or it's just passing the RMB to your Chase card. Assuming I am reading what you typed properly, then it means RMB is charged to the Chase card, which is great as I want Visa to handle the foreign exchange.

Yep exactly. Otherwise there would be a markup.

Assuming this solution sticks around, this could be the first time I can go completely cashless in China. I'm sort of surprised that you don't have an AMEX. Seems like I'm probably the only credit card fanatic in this thread, I'll be sure to test out Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX when I can go back to China. Last year, I thought it would be 2021. We're almost at the midway point of this year and it's starting to look like it'll be 2022 now.

I love the optimism but I think we need a major change in the covid narrative out of China and APAC in general for there to be tourism in 2022.

I honestly question whether China wants to ever open up again.

I have no doubt it's going to happen. The Asian countries want American tourism dollars. Most Americans will be fully vaccinated by the end of the year. China and the rest of the APAC countries are insane if they want to keep their borders closed.

Of course, it will happen, but when is anyone's guess. Shanghai seems to be bustling pretty well, in spite of the shortage in foreign faces. When I go to happy hour at 1515, guess who buys the Y2500 steaks and Y10,000 bottles of wine v who grabs the Y40 cocktails and free sliders?

lsquare If you are into $2,000 dinners, I would frown upon the extra 5% if I was your CFO.

I would actually bet money that the tourism industry in China is doing better with borders closed than open. The others, besides Singapore, will open up eventually after a long and economically damning political process.

Ive tried to explain a few different times that the 5% is not necessary in almost all cases. And certainly not at any place serving business dinners.

Alipay is way more useful than WeChat pay

My data set is limited because I only know about the Portman and the JA Shangri-la. Both are at 90% occupancy after dropping their rates by 10% since COVID came to town. The thing is, Goldman Sachs guys can't expense $2000 dinners unless they are closing a deal, but tourists don't face any restrictions of this sort, and American tourists tend to stick to budgets. If we have less of them and more Asians/Chinese, Shanghai makes out well.

[QUOTE=percysmith;33288131]I did that for AliPay with Canadian MasterCard.

IME The HK BoC mainland acct for WeChat works better for HK based users for frequent business visit to GBA.

[QUOTE=tentseller;33290202]Why is that account better?

I like them because they are cool with moon/dog and dog/moon. I am not willing to change my name on record at BOC.

Option 1 merchants pay a minimum of 1% transaction fee while option 2 merchants can get the money for free (they may have to pay a withdrawal fee of 0.1% but there are ways around that).

1515 will eat the 5% (i.e. just pay with your Amex), but Lawson's won't.