Unfortunately...at least if you're traveling abroad... you'd not have any choice than using all those "smart" option LOL.
These days you will have to fill in e-Travel Declaration & Custom declaration online and let the QR-Code scanned before you're allowed to enter the country.
They would provide an immigration staff to help you with a fast free wifi access especially for this needs at the airport 😅.

I remember a little over a year ago a foreigner was declined entry for rejecting to do this.
He even ended up detained because he was complaining and his way of complaining was taken as disrespecting the Philippine officers.

In China itself was even more impossible to not using it because the usage of WeChat & Alipay belongs to normal everyday life.
Only big chain hotels or shops accept credit card payment.

All the ticket booking for tourism objects are also easier and more secure for validity issues if you book using WeChat mini program instead of via 3rd party agency.

You can still try to buy ticket at the location of course, but it's nearly impossible in many popular sites like The Palace museum in the Forbidden City, cos it's often already fully booked even with a week long buffer time.