雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】FOLLOWING years of rapid development of e-commerce, China is now in a leading position in mobile payment in terms of both its technology and market size. According to the latest report, China's mobile payment market in 2016 was more than 50 times that of the US. It is predicted that in 2019 the total amount of mobile payment in China will become 7.4 times as much as that of year 2015, leaving the US, whose total amount of payment is expected to rise by 2.6 times during the same period, further in the dust. In fact, due to the ubiquity of smart phones, mobile payment has already found its way into every large street and small lane in urban and rural China. What now concerns the international community is whether the major players in mobile payment (like Alipay and WeChat) will bring about the end of cash.

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近年來，隨着電子商務蓬勃發展，中國的移動支付無論是技術還是市場規模都執全球牛耳，據最新報道，2016年中國移動支付規模已是美國的50多倍，而預計到2019年，中國的支付總額將較2015年增長7.4倍，更進一步拋離美國同期的2.6倍增幅；伴隨智能手機的普及，移動支付已經遍及內地城鄉大街小巷。國際輿論都關注，支付寶、微信等移動支付巨頭，會否成為「現金終結者」。

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According to some estimates, the US's mobile payment market rose by 39 per cent to US$112 billion last year. China's mobile payment market, however, more than tripled to 38 trillion yuan (around US$5.5 trillion) over the same period of time. As of late last year there were already 200 million mobile payment users in China, while in the US there were only 37.5 million.

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據估算，去年美國的移動支付市場規模增長了39%，達到1120億美元。而去年中國移動支付的市場規模增長了逾3倍，達到38萬億人民幣（約5.5萬億美元）。中國移動支付市場去年底用戶達2億，而美國則只有3750萬。

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It was three to five years ago when electronic payment systems in China began to advance in leaps and bounds. According to a survey conducted last year, people who are younger are keener to make mobile payments. Payment apps like Alipay and Wechat have become part of everyday life, allowing users to shop online, pay taxes, pay electronic bills, give "red packets" to others at Chinese New Year or split the bill at a meal. There seems to be nothing that these apps cannot do.

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中國的電子支付系統的大躍進，是最近三五年的事。去年的一項民調顯示，愈年輕的用戶愈熱中於使用移動支付。支付寶、微信等手機支付工具已充斥生活各方各面，既可網上購物，亦可繳稅、交電費，甚至可用於過年派利市、AA制聚餐，幾乎無所不能。

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The prominence of e-payment in China is no doubt attributable to the advances of e-commerce. But it is also a special case of a misfortune turning out to be a blessing in disguise. In mainland China, developments of personal cheques and credit cards have long been hindered by an inadequate banking network and a deeply flawed credit system. But such drawbacks have allowed e-payment to emerge out of nowhere as a new force completely free of restraints. As a result, China entered the era of e-payment straight from the stage of cash payment, skipping cheques and credit cards altogether.

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電子支付在中國的興盛固然得益於電子商務的大發展，但也有因禍得福的特殊原因。由於內地銀行網絡不夠完善，信用體系缺失，故個人支票和信用卡業務一直未能有很大的發展，這一缺陷反而令電子支付能夠在一張白紙的基礎上沒有包袱地異軍突起，使中國由現鈔時代，跳過支票時代和信用卡時代，直接進入電子支付時代。

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As the international city that has the most frequent interactions with the mainland, Hong Kong is at the right time and is itself the right place for the new development. More and more mainland e-payment companies have made a foothold in Hong Kong, hoping to use our city as a springboard to enter the global market. Global e-payment companies are, at the same time, hoping to get a share in the mainland market by entering Hong Kong. But for too long, e-payment in Hong Kong has been lagging far behind that in the mainland, which has been prospering. One of the reasons is that our laws have not moved with the times, the other being the provincial attitudes of our financial officials.

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香港作為與內地交往最為密切的國際城市，本來佔有天時地利，有愈來愈多內地支付公司來港，希望藉由這塊「踏腳石」走出去，而國際上的支付公司亦希望透過進軍香港，參與人民幣市場。但一直以來，相比內地的蓬勃發展，香港電子支付發展卻顯緩慢，一方面因法例未能與時俱進，另一方面因財金當局取態保守。

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The Hong Kong government has reiterated the need to ensure sound supervision, an environment for fair competition and the adequate protection for customers before introducing any new financial products or services. However, traditional financial industries like commercial banking and insurance have a strong presence in Hong Kong, and they are averse to new ideas such as online financing and mobile payment. In fact, given Hong Kong's solid foundations of the rule of law, which is a source of its civic pride, and its considerable, practical experience in finance, our city is fully capable of working together with mainland Internet and technology giants to promote mobile payment in Hong Kong as well as help mainland tackle the loopholes and risks associated with mobile payment. Together they can go one step further by exploring the global market hand in hand or even making a contribution to China's trendsetting role in international finance.

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當局再三強調在引入新型金融產品和服務前，一定要確保有妥善的監管、公平競爭的環境和對消費者有充足保障。但因本港傳統金融如商業銀行、保險業務強勁，對新事物如互聯網金融、移動支付較為抗拒。其實，以香港傲人的法治基礎、豐富的金融實務經驗，完全可以與內地的網商科技巨頭結合，既可推動香港的移動支付發展，亦可協助內地克服移動支付的漏洞與風險，更進一步，可以攜手開拓國際市場，甚至可以為國家在國際金融領域引領潮流作出貢獻。

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明報社評2017.02.20

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr William Tsang Wai-sum

Associate Division Head

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/language_communication/TSANG,_William_Wai-sum-75.html

焦妮娜

講師

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/language_communication/JIAO,_Nina-108.html

【Bilingual Editorial】