With the rapid development of third-party mobile payment tools,     1    increasing number of consumers across China are using cashless payment methods.

Transactions(交易)    2    (involve) third-party mobile payments rose by 39. 1 percent in the first quarter of 2021 compared     3     the previous quarter to 74 trillion yuan. Although China has the most third-party payment accounts in the world, it is not the first country     4    (seek) a cashless society. Developed states like Sweden, Denmark and Singapore are also witnessing that increase.

However, the rapid development of cashless payments does not mean there are no challenges and criticisms. Alibaba’s Hema Fresh Store,     5     customers can shop, dine and order goods for delivery from their mobile phones via Alipay,     6    (come) into the spotlight recently. Media reports say that consumers can’t purchase goods with cash there, which would be considered     7    (legal).

Alipay and WeChat Pay, the nation’s two major third-party mobile payment tools, have also launched     8    (campaign) to encourage more merchants and customers to use cashless payment methods, which has caused concerns over     9     cash will soon disappear.

However, experts believe that a cashless society does not mean that cash will     10    (complete) disappear. As the economy grows, the circulation of cash is still very huge. In the long term, various payment methods will be used by consumers, and merchants should respect consumers’ payment habits.

7 . American Express Gold: Best “non-travel” travel card

Why it’s great in one sentence: The American Express Gold card earns tons of valuable Amex travel points on practically all the food-related purchases you’re making even when you are not traveling, and the credits available on the card nearly offset (抵消) its annual fee.

This card is right for: People who can use all of the card’s various credits and who spend significant money at restaurants, on food delivery services or at U.S. supermarkets while they are not on the road.

Highlights:

First, with the Amex Gold, you’ll earn 4 points for every dollar you spend on restaurants worldwide, and on up to $25,000 in annual purchases at U.S. supermarkets (1 point per dollar afterwards). Most food delivery services count as “restaurants” on this card, so that means the vast majority of your food purchases will earn 4 points, regardless of how you’re eating.

You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar when you book airfare directly with an airline, so if you’re looking to jump on any sales for flights later in the year, you can pay for them with the Amex Gold and earn extra points on those as well.

The points earned on this card are American Express Membership Rewards points, which are extremely useful. You can redeem (兑取现金) them directly for flights via Amex Travel at 1 cent each, but if you put in some extra effort and research, you can potentially get much more value from them by transferring them to any of Amex’s 21 airline and hotel partners, which include Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Marriott and many more.

Over the past few years, the Chinese market of mobile payment     1     (witness) a booming development. With the emergency of the mobile internet, smartphone shopping has     2     (gradual) become trendy, especially with the 18 to 30-year-olds     3     make up the lion’s share in the mobile payment market. Since it is so convenient to pay with a smartphone while shopping, many consumers prefer     4     (pay) by their phone rather than by cash or credit card.

9 . Is a cashless society possible for everyone?

There is no escaping our evolution into a cashless society. It would give rise to a new era for financial businesses, which are all carried out digitally. The key benefits would include lower crime rates, easier foreign businesses, and reduced risks and costs. The idea of a cashless society appears so wide-spread in our society.     1    

Economic inequality and exclusivity (排他性)are fundamental issues still present worldwide.    2    The unbanked and the poor could face significant challenges with digital payment. In fact a huge number of the unbanked view the cashless movement as a discrimination(歧视)against those without bank accounts.

    3    There are also the elderly and the disabled who face their own challenges with quick digitalization and technological advancement. There are still parts of society that lack trust in digital payments or have difficulty accessing mobile phones and the Internet.

In China, four out of every five payments are now cashless.     4     The country is about to launch a national digital currency, the world’s first. As we use the model set by China, other countries need to take it upon themselves to provide a harmonious, and effective, cashless society—one that does not leave anyone behind.

    5     But at the same time they should be provided with the means and motivation to take part in an ever-growing cashless world.