The Chinese government announced the Interim Regulations on Online Ride-Booking Taxi Business Services (hereinafter referred to as the Interim Regulations) on July 27, 2016. The Interim Regulations will come into force as from November 1, 2016, which marks the legalization of the online ride-booking and ridesharing business services in the nationwide in the People’s Republic of China.
The ridesharing business originated from the USA in 2009, and Uber, the pathfinder of such business, currently has business presence in more than 400 cities of more than 70 countries worldwide. Uber has been growing amid fierce controversy, and has faced or is facing numerous protests and lawsuits.
Such Interim Regulations maybe the first national regulations worldwide which announces legalization of the ridesharing business, which fully shows the forward-thinking of the Chinese government on management of the innovative sharing economy.