“无现金时代”即将到来？

无现金的趋势

Experts agree that it is becoming a growing trend that more and more consumers across the country are using cashless payment methods.

专家们承认，国内越来越多的消费者正在使用无现金的支付方式，这成为了一种日渐增长的趋势。

In fact, as early as 1988, the State Council, the country`s cabinet, released regulations to encourage bank transfers and to reduce using cash during economic activities.

事实上，早在1988年，我国国务院就已发布了相关条例，鼓励银行转账，在经济活动中减少现金使用。

Today, the move toward a cashless society could "reduce the risks of using cash, save on costs and as a matter of convenience, prevent illegal activities such as money laundering," Dong Ximiao, a research fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times.

如今，向无现金社会发展的这一趋势能够“减少现金使用的风险，节约成本。而且方便起见，还能阻止洗钱等非法活动，”中国人民大学重阳金融研究院研究员董希淼在接受《环球时报》采访时表示。

The rapid development of third-party mobile payment tools, to some extent, is helping to boost cashless payments across the country, said Dong.

在某种程度上，第三方移动支付工具的快速发展，促进了国内无现金支付的增长，董希淼表示。

Transactions involving third-party mobile payments rose 46.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the previous quarter to 18.8 trillion yuan, according to a report Beijing-based research consultancy Analysys released in May.

据北京研究咨询公司易观五月发布的一份报告显示，2017年第一季度，使用第三方移动支付的交易额为18.8万亿人民币，较去年同期增长了46.8%。

There were 3.4 billion third-party payment accounts in total in China in 2016, a Goldman Sachs report showed.

而高盛投资公司发布的一份报告显示，2016年，中国共有34亿第三方支付的账户。

But China is not the first country to seek a cashless society. Developed states like Sweden, Denmark and Singapore are also witnessing cashless payment methods proliferate.

但中国并非是首个向无现金社会迈进的国家。瑞典、丹麦、新加坡等发达国家也见证了无现金支付方式的扩散。

Disputes and criticisms

争议与批评

The rapid development of cashless payments does not mean there are no challenges and criticisms.

无现金支付的快速发展并不意味着没有挑战和批评。

Alibaba`s Hema store, where customers can shop, dine and order commodities for delivery from their mobile phones via Alipay, have come into the spotlight recently. Media reports alleged that consumers can`t purchase goods with cash there, which would be considered illegal.

阿里巴巴旗下的“盒马鲜生”超市近期备受关注。在超市中，顾客能通过手机上的支付宝进行购物、用餐以及订购送货上门的商品。有媒体报道称，顾客们无法在超市使用现金购买商品，此行为被认为涉嫌违法。

A Hema PR representative told the Global Times that all 13 Hema stores in the country do in fact allow consumers to pay in cash. She noted that Hema store simply recommend consumers to pay via Alipay for convenience purposes.

一位“盒马鲜生”的公关代表在接受《环球时报》采访时表示，事实上，国内“盒马鲜生” 全部13家超市都允许顾客现金支付。她指出，“盒马鲜生”仅仅出于方便的考虑，推荐顾客使用支付宝支付。

Alipay and WeChat Pay, the nation`s two major third-party mobile payment tools, also launched campaigns this month to encourage more merchants and customers to use cashless payment methods.

支付宝和微信支付是国内两家主要的第三方移动支付工具。两方都于本月发起活动，鼓励商户和消费者使用无现金支付方式。

Within the campaigns, both called for the establishment of a "cashless society", which provoked concerns over whether cash will soon disappear.

在活动中，支付宝和微信支付都提倡建立起一个“无现金社会”，这也引发了人们对于现金是否即将消失的担忧。

"[Some] offline sellers refuse to accept cash, which impacts the natural circulation of yuan," said Dong.

“(一些)线下卖家拒收现金，对人民币的自然流通造成了影响，”董希淼表示。

Dong emphasized that a cashless society would not mean that cash would completely disappear. As the economy grows, the circulation of cash is still very huge, noted Dong.

董希淼强调，一个无现金社会并不意味着现金将完全消失。他指出，随着经济增长，现金的流通量依然十分庞大。

Also, it`s important to remember that nearly half of China`s population lives in rural areas, especially in undeveloped western regions, and therefore is not able to enjoy innovation brought by the Internet, Dong said.

董希淼表示，要切记，中国有将近半数的人口居住在农村地区，尤其是在不发达的西部地区，这些人无法享受到互联网所带来的创新成果。

And when it comes to China`s senior citizens, most of them prefer to use cash in their daily lives, he added.

而大多数中国老年群体更喜欢在日常生活中使用现金，他补充道。

Tolerant stance

宽容的立场

However, some experts show a tolerant stance toward mobile payments.

然而，一些专家却对移动支付表现出了一种宽容的立场。

"Mobile payments drive financial innovation and help to build a cost-effective society," Wang Pengbo, a finance industry analyst at Analysys, told the Global Times.

“移动支付促进了金融创新，并有助于建立一个成本效益好的社会，”易观金融行业分析师王蓬博在接受《环球时报》采访时表示。

He believes that it`s "ridiculous" to question digital payment tools` contribution toward financial development. He said that people should be more tolerant toward emerging mobile payment platforms.

他认为，质疑数字支付工具对金融发展所做的贡献相当“可笑”。他表示，人们应当对新兴的移动支付平台更加宽容。

"Under [applicable] regulations and laws, the country should continue to encourage the development of mobile payments," advised Wang.

“在(适用的)法律法规之下，国家应当继续鼓励移动支付的发展，”王蓬博建议道。

In the long term, various payment methods will be used by consumers, predicted Dong. "[Ultimately], merchants should respect consumers` payment habits," Dong noted.

从长远来看，消费者将使用各式各样的支付方式，董希淼预测道。“(最终)，商户还是应该尊重消费者的支付习惯，”董希淼指出。