China issues 1.3b bank cards by end of Sept
Thursday, 8 November 2007
BEIJING, Nov 7 (AFP): China had issued more than 1.3 billion bank cards by the end of September, roughly equivalent to the country's total population, state press reported.
Payment made by card accounted for over 18 per cent of China's total retail sales in the first nine months of 2007, the Xinhua news agency said yesterday, citing China Union Pay, a bank card network operator.
China had 183 banks issuing cards that could be used at 650,000 outlets and 120,000 automatic teller machines, the report said.
China UnionPay planned to complete its national payment network next year by setting up branches in remote parts of the nation such as northwestern China's Xinjiang region, it added.
Payment made by card accounted for over 18 per cent of China's total retail sales in the first nine months of 2007, the Xinhua news agency said yesterday, citing China Union Pay, a bank card network operator.
China had 183 banks issuing cards that could be used at 650,000 outlets and 120,000 automatic teller machines, the report said.
China UnionPay planned to complete its national payment network next year by setting up branches in remote parts of the nation such as northwestern China's Xinjiang region, it added.