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An international student rents a public bicycle in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province. [Photo/jiaxingren.com]

Starting Aug 2, Jiaxing in Zhejiang province has made it easier for foreigners, overseas Chinese, and residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to rent public bicycles without a deposit. This new service is accessible through Alipay, allowing users to authenticate their identity with a single click and rent bicycles by scanning a QR code.

Previously, Jiaxing's public bicycle system supported deposit-free rentals but required personal identity verification, which was not available for foreigners and residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. This limitation has now been addressed, making the service more inclusive.

At a public bicycle rental point near Jiaxing Nanyang Polytechnic Institute, many international students have started using the service. Iranian student Wang Zixuan shared, "It's now more convenient for me to go to school and shop for daily necessities." 

The initiative to open the bicycle rental service to foreigners was driven by an event organized by the city's foreign affairs office. Foreign guests expressed interest in Jiaxing's low-carbon, green transportation options, prompting the upgrade of the bicycle rental system.

Currently, Jiaxing has 8,000 public bicycles and over 1,000 rental points, with each bicycle being rented two to three times a day. Following this system upgrade, Jiaxing has become the second city in the province to offer deposit-free bicycle rentals to foreigners and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The city plans to add 3,000 more bicycles later this year to meet the growing demand for green transportation among residents, tourists, and international friends.