Money and spending on a China buying trip

Money on a China buying trip splits cleanly into two buckets, and confusing them is where travellers get into trouble. There is the money you spend living there, on hotels, taxis, meals and samples, and there is the money that pays suppliers for goods. They work differently, and you should plan them differently.

This is general guidance, not financial advice. Payment options and rules change, so confirm the current setup before you travel.

Daily spending: China runs on the phone

For everyday spending, China is effectively cashless. Stalls, taxis, restaurants and small shops all expect a phone payment through the mobile-payment apps, and in recent years those apps have made it much easier for foreign visitors to link an international card for in-country spending. Set this up before you go and test it, so your first payment is not your first attempt.

Carry some cash anyway as a backup, in case an app stumbles or a vendor cannot scan, but expect to use the phone for almost everything.

What to bring from Nigeria

• A payment method that works on the ground, set up and tested before you fly.
• A modest amount of backup cash for emergencies and the rare cash-only situation.
• A spare card kept separately from your main one, in case of loss.
• A clear day-by-day budget for the trip, so you know what is spending and what is not.

Keep this trip money mentally and practically separate from anything to do with paying suppliers. Mixing them is how people overspend on the ground and then scramble when a supplier balance comes due.

Paying suppliers is a different thing

The money that pays for your goods is not your pocket money. Suppliers price in RMB and want payment to their Alipay or WeChat Pay, with the recipient name matching the business you agreed with. This is not something you should improvise with travel cash or a personal card at the market counter.

This is where a trade-facilitation service does the heavy lifting. Instead of needing a Chinese bank account or carrying large sums, you fund in Naira and the supplier is settled in RMB on Alipay. You can read how that works on the how it works page and check the current rate on the rates page.

Pocket money buys your lunch. It should never be what pays for a container. Keep the two completely apart and both stay under control.

A money checklist for the trip

1. Mobile payment set up and tested for daily spending before departure.
2. Backup cash and a spare card, stored separately.
3. A written trip budget that covers only living costs, not goods.
4. A clear plan for paying suppliers, separate from your trip wallet.
5. Receipts kept for samples and anything you carry home, for customs.

Separate, and stay in control

The discipline is simple: trip spend in one bucket, supplier payments in another. Handle daily costs with your phone and a little cash, and handle the goods properly. When a supplier balance is due, whether you are standing in their showroom or back at your desk after the trip, you make a request to pay them in RMB on Alipay from Naira, and your trip budget stays exactly that.