UnionPay QuickPass service launched in Fiji and other South Pacific countries
SYDNEY,Nov. 22,2018 -- Following Papua New Guinea,the UnionPay QuickPass service has been further rolled out in the South Pacific region. UnionPay International announced that it has cooperated with ANZ to achieve the first launch of UnionPay QuickPass in Fiji,and other islands,including Vanuatu,Tonga,Samoa,Cook Islands,Kiribati,Solomon Islands. UnionPay cardholders visiting these countries can now make tap & go payments with QuickPass-enabled UnionPay chip cards and mobile phones. China UnionPay Chairman Ge Huayong and ANZ Fiji Country Head Saud Minam attended the launching ceremony.
China has become an important trading partner,export market and source of foreign capital for the Asian-Pacific island countries. Fiji,Vanuatu,Samoa and other countries have become destinations for Chinese citizens to travel abroad. In 2017,about 150,000 tourists from China visited the island countries. UnionPay International is increasing its cooperation with major institutions and continuing to improve the UnionPay card acceptance environment of the South Pacific Island countries like Fiji. At present,UnionPay is accepted in all the nine island countries of South Pacific. In Fiji in particular,UnionPay's acceptance coverage at ATM and POS terminals has exceeded 80%.
Ge Huayong said that China's economic trade with the South Pacific Island countries has become increasingly close. The cooperation with ANZ has not only greatly optimized the acceptance environment of UnionPay cards in the South Pacific region,but also further enhanced the payment experience for tourists. It will also enable us to issue cards and launch more innovative businesses in more markets in South Pacific,laying a good foundation to providing new payment options for local residents and two-way support for personnel exchanges between China and the region.
ANZ is an important partner of UnionPay International in the Asia Pacific region and a major financial services provider in the South Pacific market. In April 2014,the two sides signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement. Now,ANZ has enabled UnionPay card acceptance in 13 countries including Australia,New Zealand and Pacific Island countries,and actively promoted its POS terminal to support UnionPay flash payment. More than 80,000 merchants in Australia and more than 20,000 merchants in New Zealand have supported UnionPay. The cooperation between the two sides has enabled the first time in eight countries in the South Pacific region,such as Fiji,to provide services such as department stores,restaurants,hotels,supermarket convenience stores and attractions. In Fiji,for example,more than 1,000 merchants in the region have opened UnionPay.
ANZ Fiji Country Head,Saud Minam,said: "Enabling contactless payments is another step towards driving a cashless and paperless economy in Fiji. ANZ has been working closely with UnionPay for a number of years now and it's wonderful to see the results of that partnership. As the largest bank in Fiji,we will continue to invest in more convenient and secure digital options for customers."
