Making the vital difference in everyday life

Electronic options to send and receive money are putting more Chinese businesses on the path of sustainable development

Editor's note: China has made commendable progress in various business and industry sectors in the 70 years since the founding of the PRC. China Daily is publishing a series of articles to highlight the giant strides. E-payment is considered one of the four major great inventions in modern China. The following articles trace the evolution of payment and how it has made a significant difference to people's lifestyle and the international community.

Laurent Francois, a 38-year-old Swiss traveler and Mandarin learner, was stumped when a waitress at the Starbucks shop in downtown Shanghai's West Nanjing Road asked him Weixin, or WeChat Pay.