AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UnionPay International announced that it has cooperated with Westpac to enable all the ATMs and about 1,300 online merchants subordinate to Westpac in New Zealand to accept UnionPay cards. So far, UnionPay cards are accepted at 80% of the local ATMs. Cai Jianbo, CEO of UnionPay International, and Simon Power, General Manager of Consumer Banking and Wealth at Westpac, attended the opening ceremony in Auckland.
Westpac provides financial services in Australia, New Zealand and 7 island countries including Fiji. On April 9, 2014, under the witness of Li Keqiang, the Chinese Premier and Abbott, the former Prime Minister of Australia, UnionPay International concluded a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Westpac. Since then, Westpac had enabled all of its ATMs and POS terminals in Australia and the 7 island countries to accept UnionPay cards.
Now, the two sides are promoting the UnionPay business in New Zealand. A number of online merchants are enabled to accept UnionPay cards. These merchants cover various fields of tourism, education, shopping and transportation, and include Bungee and Paraglider in Queenstown, Maori Village, Rotorua Hot Spring and ACE car rental agency. Westpac will enable its merchants in New Zealand to accept UnionPay cards in this June, and some of the merchants will also support mobile QuickPass.
Cai Jianbo said, China has become the second largest tourist source and the largest source of exchange students of New Zealand. UnionPay International is accelerating its expansion in New Zealand: First, expanding the local card using channels. At least 60% of the local merchants will be able to accept UnionPay within this year and 40% of them will support mobile QuickPass. Second, seeking opportunities of card issuance. Third, promoting more merchants to participate in UnionPay International's cross-border marketing platform U Plan.
Simon Power said, this cooperation not only provides better services for UnionPay cardholders, but also helps attract more customers to the local merchants, and thus realizes a win-win result.
Now, 80% of ATMs and about 30,000 merchants in New Zealand accept UnionPay cards, covering duty-free stores, department stores, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, convenience stores, tourist attractions and taxies. The Loop, Relay and Aotea Gifts support UnionPay mobile QuickPass. In addition, local education institutions such as the University of Auckland accept UnionPay cards online.
