2020年4月开始，我国的央行数字货币在北京、上海、深圳、成都、苏州、雄安等地进行小范围试点。
数字人民币可以无现钞支付，且具有脱网交易的技术优势，可以点对点、端对端支付，能够为公众提供安全性高、流动性好的支付工具，节省交易成本。
中国央行数字货币在进入大众视野的同时，也引起了外媒的关注。
《纽约时报》近日发布题为《中国大力推进国家数字货币》的文章，当中就提到，虽然已有多国开展国家数字货币试点，但中国早已遥遥领先。
China’s digital currency efforts are well ahead of the rest of the world, wrote a recent New York Times article.
The most-read newspaper in the U.S. examined how far the electronic Chinese yuan has gone, and concluded that “no other major power is as far along with a homegrown digital currency.”
文章写道：
Over the last 12 months, more than 60 countries have experimented with national digital currencies, up from just over 40 a year earlier, according to the Bank for International Settlements. The countries include Sweden, which is conducting real-world trials of a digital krona, and the Bahamas, which has made a digital currency, the Sand Dollar, available to all citizens.
据国际清算银行统计，过去12个月来，超过60个国家开展国家数字货币试点，而一年前，还只有40个国家。这些国家包括瑞典（目前正在对数字克朗进行试点），以及巴哈马群岛（已经研发了全民可以使用的数字货币“海胆”）。
…
Yet no major power is as far along as China. Its early moves could signal where the rest of the world goes with digital currencies.
不过，目前没任何其他大国像中国走得这么远。中国早期的相关举措或将预示着世界其他国家和地区如何继续推进数字货币。
文章还提到，虽然美国财政部长珍尼特·耶伦曾在接受采访时表示，数字美元 “绝对值得探讨”，但目前美国在数字货币研发上已经慢人一步，依然停留在基础研究层面。
The article also mentioned that the United States “has moved slowly and done just basic research” in terms of developing an American digital currency, while its Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen acknowledged that digital currency was "absolutely worth looking at" because it "could result in faster, safer and cheaper payments."
中国近些年来在科技创新方面，大步向前迈进，许多创新亮点已经成为了国外同行的效仿对象。
《福布斯》杂志近日刊登了知名数字营销公司IMA的创始人Maddie Raedts 题为《中国数字生态塑造西方社交媒体未来》的专栏文章，就提到了微信生态、直播电商等值得西方学习的中国创新优势。
China’s digital ecosystems are shaping Western social media's future, a Forbes article concluded.
In her column published Monday, Maddie Raedts, co-founder of Influencer Marketing Agency said “China’s online ecosystem appears to be one step ahead when it comes to providing an end-to-end solution for all kinds of consumer needs,” referring to China’s WeChat platform and livestream commerce as examples.
文章写道：
China’s social platforms are much more all-inclusive and offer, within one single ecosystem, a deep integration of social commerce and a wide range of services that go beyond social media.
中国的社交平台更加包罗万象。在同一个生态系统里，用户可以享受到包括社交电商等一系列超越了社交媒体功能的服务。
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In their recent shoppable content updates, Western platforms have been clearly inspired by China’s walled gardens.
西方社交平台最近在进行购物内容更新时，显然受到了中国同行的启发。
在谈及微信时，作者评价其为“真正的社交巨头”(a true social giant)，认为微信得益于小程序等服务创新，早已发展成“一个具有许多高级功能的综合性平台( a comprehensive platform with very advanced features)。”
而疫情期间在西方开始流行的直播带货，中国早就深谙其道。
一组数据对比：2020年全年，中国直播电商的市场规模已经近万亿人民币，而在美国，预计这个数字在2023年才达到250亿美元。
文章结论：
China’s social landscape is leading the way when it comes to innovative solutions for its users and brands, and Western platforms will likely follow suit.
不论是对用户，还是对品牌而言，中国社交玩家们给出的创新解决方案都领先一步，而西方的社交平台很可能会跟随中国的脚步。
在社交电商时代，西方国家的玩家该如何不被落下呢？文章给出了建议：关注中国社交领域的佼佼者。
The article also said that China’s social giants will continue to be "a source of inspiration and learning" for their Western counterparts for many years to come.