Chinese bank-card network China UnionPay today announced it has formed a Mobile Payment Industry Alliance that includes 18 national and local banks and supports international contactless standards–as it keeps up the pressure on China Mobile's RF-SIM-based payment scheme.
UnionPay said the alliance will seek to establish a standard specification and business model for mobile payment in China, “so as to create a harmonious and sound industrial environment.”
Although the UnionPay release does not mention China Mobile’s RF-SIM by name and, in fact, counts China Mobile as one of the members of the new alliance, it’s obvious that China Mobile’s SIM-based payment scheme is one of the driving forces behind the formation of the group.