too many choices to make
There are so many choices to make in our daily lives.
Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna* get. As Forrest Gump* said.
Credit / Debit Card
UnionPay
Why I advise against applying for Visa / Mastercard cards issued by most Chinese banks?
Including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, most of the credit and debit cards issued by most Chinese banks are invalid at card readers when used abroad.
There are so many banks available in China that it can be difficult for you to choose.
All recommended banks in China are listed below:
| bank | full name | Chinese | feature | rating | note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOC | Bank of China | 中國銀行 | international | 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 | the most common bank in foreign countries |
| ABC | Agriculture bank of China | 中國農業銀行 | down-to-earth | 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 | the most accessible bank in both urban and rural areas |
| ICBC | Industrial and commercial bank of China | 中國工商銀行 | business | 🧡🧡🧡🧡 | the bank with the largest assets under management in China |
| CIB/SPDB/CGB | Industrial bank / Shanghai Pudong development bank / Guangdong development bank | 興業銀行 / 浦發銀行 / 廣發銀行 | regional bank | 🧡🧡🧡 | optional |
| CMB | China merchants bank | 招商銀行 | app | 🧡🧡🧡🧡 | excellent app features |
Opening a red envelope account for your child is a wise choice.
I advise you not to apply for a dual-standard UnionPay credit card, as there are many restrictions on discounts and benefits during promotional activities.
Mastercard
CIB universal life Mastercard credit card with the symbol “Business executive” on the cover can’t be successfully added to Apple Pay.
HSBC HK Mastercard debit card and BOC HK Mastercard debit card, issued by banks in Hong Kong, are good choices and can be successfully added to Apple Pay.
Visa
Visa cards are more common than American Express cards, but not as common as Mastercard.
I have two Visa debit cards, both converted from virtual cards issued by digital banks in Hong Kong.
I don’t have a Visa card issued by a bank in China.
American Express
American Express cards are rarely seen in our daily lives, while UnionPay cards are the most common in China.
Phone number
You must have a Chinese SIM card, and if possible, get another SIM card such as a Hong Kong SIM card.
The additional SIM card is prepared for foreign apps such as WhatsApp, Google, Apple, and Discord.
personal preference:
- China Unicom +86
- Club Sim +852
None
Keep it as it’s.
Apple ID
Due to the policies of a particular country, some apps are not available in the App Store of that country / region.
You need to change the country / region of your Apple account to download the apps you need.
country / region change: (may continue)
CHN ~> USA ~> HKG ~> USA ~> SGP ~> AUS ~> HKG
*:
- gonna: is used in written English to present the words ‘going to’ when they are pronounced informally. 用于书面英语中表示 going to 的非正式发音形式
- Forrest Gump: Forrest Gump quoted his mother.