If you think people in China are still using coins to pay for their groceries, wearing Mao suits and generally struggling through life, then you’re in for a shock.
Far from being stuck in the past, China is careening ahead when it comes to consumer tech: pioneering a future that’s still years off in the West. In fact life in China’s major cities is so advanced, neither Japan nor the U.S. can hold a candle to it. Surprised? You will be…
When you arrive in Beijing, Shanghai or Xi’an, you’re entering a virtually cashless society, where every single payment – from buying a bottle of water to splitting a $300 dollar bill between friends – is done with your mobile phone.
Thanks to Tencent’s ubiquitous WeChat app, people are able to transfer money to each other’s virtual wallets in an instant. If you’re out and about, scanning a local vendor’s QR code or having your own QR code scanned to pay for stuff takes mere seconds.
Think it’s only the younger generation that’s this tech savvy? Nope. Whether you’re 17 or 67, living in Beijing or Inner Mongolia – you’re using WeChat to pay for everything.
City bikes that you dock in a station? Pff. That’s so passé. In China’s major cities, Ofo, Mobike and Bluegogo allow you to unlock their bikes by scanning a QR code and then ride (pretty much for free) anywhere you like, before leaving the bike anywhere you like. And this isn’t a niche activity either – as you read this, literally millions of Chinese people are riding a Mobike or an Ofo to their latest appointment.
Shopping in the supermarket and not sure if you can get a better price on that bottle of L’Oreal shampoo at a store nearby? Just scan the product’s barcode and your Alipay app will show you a price match.
Just ended a meeting and don’t want to fiddle around with business cards? Doesn’t matter, people in China ditched those ages ago in favor of scanning each other’s virtual WeChat profiles.
Meanwhile if it’s a taxi you’re after, you’ll be using Didi Da Che. Haven’t heard of Didi yet? Uber certainly has. The Chinese ride hailing firm is so successful it acquired Uber’s China operations for 35 billion USD last year. Take that, Kalanak!
We could go on… From giving to charity, taking an online class or summoning a dog-groomer to your house – you would be truly amazed at what can be achieved with a mobile phone in China.
While state-run institutions (banks, phone companies) remain woefully bureaucratic and are seemingly stuck in the 1960s, China’s private sector tech firms are world leaders. And not necessarily because they are out-innovating other countries’ tech giants, but because they have a (huge) ready-made customer base that’s evidently more open-minded and ready to adapt to new technologies en-masse than any other in the world.
Let’s not forget that just 40 years ago China had more in common with North Korea. A completely closed-off society that had shunned all things Western for decades, its population psychologically reeling from the chaos of Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Fast forward to 2017 then, and the speed at which China’s population is willing to adopt radical new ways of living is nothing short of incredible.
So come to China, and marvel at the fact the Chinese are already living the life you will be in a few years time. It’s quite literally your chance to glimpse the future.
The fun part is, if you can keep up, you can join in too!
Want to understand Chinese society better? That’s what Bespoke’s local Tour Guides are for! They’re your key to a truly authentic experience in China’s major cities. Don’t believe us? Take a look at our TripAdvisor reviews!