How mobile apps improve the lives of Chinese people

Shoppers cash in on mobile payment

No 4: Mobile payment

Mobile payment apps have taken China by storm, and in some places it's impossible to complete even a basic transaction without using one.

The country witnessed a more than 12 percent increase in the number of people using mobile payment apps last year, according to the China Internet Network Information Center.

About 527 million used the apps for offline purchases on a daily basis, it said.

High school teacher Fu Yao, 25, said the most popular apps－Alipay and WeChat Pay, which can be directly linked to a credit or debit card－have become integral to her life.

"My job leaves little spare time for going shopping every week," said Fu, who is based in Shenyang, Liaoning province. "But I can shop online on my phone and easily pay through the apps, which helps a lot."

She said the apps make it more convenient to pay at brick-and-mortar stores, too.

The incentives offered by the mobile payment services－usually in the form of credit "gifts" given after each transaction－have also helped boost user numbers.

"It's definitely more economical than using cash, as many stores and markets now offer discounts when paying through a mobile payment app," Fu added.

CAO CHEN