@feld
> It works on cheap $25 feature phones so anyone can use them
Not sure about AliPay. But for WeChatPay I'm pretty sure you need WeChat. Which is a monster of an app, requiring a reasonably late model touchscreen device.
You definitely need a working internet connection to make a payment. Which generally means mobile data. Although the telecoms there are all 100% state-owned, and fairly cheap (100% surveiled for the CCP of course).