PHNOM PENH - China's Alipay, the world's largest online and mobile payment platform, has partnered with Cambodia's DaraPay, allowing customers to use their Alipay wallets to pay at DaraPay's POS payment system across Cambodia, DaraPay's general manager Phok Ratha said on Monday.

"With this partnership, Chinese tourists can scan and pay with their Alipay app at all DaraPay merchants with more than 3,000 outlets in capital Phnom Penh and in Kandal, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap and Battambang provinces," he told Xinhua.

Alipay serves over 1.2 billion users together with its regional partners and is the preferred payment method of Chinese tourists, according to a joint statement issued on Sunday.

With the system now in place, Alipay users are no longer required to withdraw cash or perform cross-app money transfer to make payments across Cambodia, the statement said, adding that they can simply complete their purchases by scanning the special QR code available at DaraPay-enabled merchant partners.

"We are excited to work with Alipay," Ratha said. "Through this collaboration, Alipay users can now benefit from the convenience, simplicity, and security of our integrated system and merchant partners while enjoying their vacation in Cambodia."

With DaraPay's more than 3,000 merchant partners, finding a store or service that accepts this integrated mobile payment should not be a trouble, the statement said.

"Whether it is a transaction at a restaurant, cafe, and supermarket or payment for services such as ride-hailing, hotel and entertainment, Chinese tourists can truly benefit by choosing the services of DaraPay's merchant partners," it said.

The statement said the future bodes well for the two partners with the number of Chinese tourists visiting the kingdom continuing to grow.

The Southeast Asian nation received 2 million Chinese tourists last year and the number is expected to rise to 2.6 million this year, 3 million in 2020, and 5 million in 2025, according to the Ministry of Tourism.