构建安全高效的现代支付体系 《金融时报》记者专访中国人民银行支付结算司负责人

Core Insights - The payment system is a crucial financial infrastructure that supports consumer spending and economic stability in China. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) has made significant advancements in the payment industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, establishing a modern payment system that ranks among the world's best [1][2]. Group 1: Development Achievements - The PBOC has achieved a series of breakthroughs, with the payment system processing business growing at an average annual rate of 12.52% over the past five years, making China's total business volume the second largest globally, projected to exceed 12 trillion yuan in 2024 [1]. - Mobile payment transactions are leading globally, with the number of transactions in 2024 expected to be 1.71 times that of 2020. The average payment service fee is below 0.6%, significantly lower than in Europe and the U.S. [1][2]. Group 2: Market Structure - The payment market has evolved into a multi-entity, collaborative structure, with the PBOC optimizing the roles of clearing institutions, commercial banks, payment institutions, and industry associations to provide diverse and efficient payment services [2]. - The China Payment and Clearing Association plays a self-regulatory role, maintaining fair competition and promoting high-quality development in the payment clearing industry [2]. Group 3: Regulatory Framework - The payment industry has entered a new phase of compliance and sustainable development, with the introduction of the "Non-Bank Payment Institutions Supervision and Management Regulations," marking a significant regulatory milestone [3]. - The PBOC employs both on-site inspections and off-site supervision to address illegal activities in the payment sector, focusing on risk prevention across the entire payment process [3]. Group 4: Service Accessibility - The payment service landscape has diversified, with non-cash payment transactions reaching 23 trillion in number and 22.6 trillion yuan in value, representing 2.34 times and 1.34 times the volume during the previous five-year period, respectively [4]. - Innovations such as facial recognition payments and enhanced services for the elderly have improved accessibility, bridging the digital divide and ensuring that payment services reach rural areas [4]. Group 5: Cross-Border Payment Developments - The PBOC is advancing the construction of a self-controlled cross-border payment system, with the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) processing 175 trillion yuan in cross-border RMB transactions in 2024, a 43% increase year-on-year [5][6]. - Efforts to enhance cross-border payment interoperability include the successful connection of rapid payment systems between mainland China and Hong Kong, facilitating real-time cross-border remittances [6]. Group 6: Foreign Personnel Payment Services - The PBOC has implemented measures to improve payment services for foreign personnel in China, allowing them to register for domestic mobile payment apps using foreign phone numbers and bind foreign bank cards [7]. - The number of active mobile payment users among inbound personnel exceeded 10 million in the first half of 2025, with transaction counts and amounts increasing by 162% and 149% year-on-year, respectively [7].