The ACT team hand-picks the most readable news of the day from China’s booming tech industry. Don’t miss out on these headlines:
Good news for Didi and Uber? 80% of respondents in state survey support carpooling
The period for public commentary regarding China’s new ride-hailing regulations has ended as of Monday, The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has announced. According to the Ministry’s findings, most people are concerned about driver qualifications and the suitability of some drivers working in the ride-hailing business. Some suggest that drivers should be clean of crime, drug abuse, drink driving and not be members of cult belief orders. 80% of respondents propose carpooling should be encouraged. Xu Wenqiang, the Deputy Minister of Transport, told ThePaper.cn that carpooling for non-profit purposes won’t be considered as part of the ride-hailing business and won’t be regulated under the new rules accordingly.
Foxconn invests USD 4 billion in Central China to produce more iPhone screens
Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer has invested RMB 28 billion (USD 4.4 billion) in a Low Temperature Poly-silicon (LTPS) project. The project helmed by Henan province and Ying Hui Co., Ltd, an affiliated company of China-based Foxconn, will focus on the manufacture of cell phone screens for Apple’s iPhone. The assembly line will officially start in 2017 with mass production expected by 2018. This is the second LTPS manufacturing project for Foxconn in China, which will likely help to advance its industrial transformation from contract manufacturer to independent manufacturer, with the release of its own products.
Chinese State Council strategizes to crack down on knockoffs sold through WeChat and Weibo
The Chinese State Council is seeking public opinion on ways to tackle counterfeit products sold on the internet, Tech Web reports. The Council plans to spend three years stopping the sale of fake goods online. The first step will be to set up a regulatory bureau for government monitoring and to allow the industry to self-regulate. The regulatory bureau will research measures to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods through social networks such as WeChat and Weibo.
Alitrip partners up with Softbank to go global
Alitrip signed a partnership with primary shareholder, Softbank, on Sunday. The two companies co-launched an online flagship store through the Alitrip platform to provide users local traveling services in Japan, with support from Softbank’s tourism companies. Prior to this partnership, Alitrip had signed partnerships with Korean Air, and the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions. It’s reported an Alitrip partnership with Marriott International is also close to completion, which will be a further step in Alitrip’s globalization strategy.
(Top photo zak mc from flickr)