Anyone who reckons that China is only ever going to play technology catch-up with the west should look around a Shanghai metro carriage and think again.
Almost every passenger, young or old, sharp or scruffy, is likely to have their eyes fixed on a smartphone screen. And it is not just the widespread use of smartphones that is striking; it is their multiple uses too.
As they hurtle along underground, passengers can order groceries, message friends, transfer money, book holidays, and take out insurance — without leaving one of China’s integrated super-apps. Even some beggars on the streets above ground accept digital handouts via Alipay.
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