Amap, the mapping and local services platform under Alibaba Group Holding, has launched a ride-hailing feature on its English version, enabling foreign visitors in mainland China to book rides across more than 360 cities. This new service, introduced months after the English version debuted in February, is accessible via a button on the app’s homepage. Initially, users can register with mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau phone numbers.
Payments for rides can be made through China’s two leading digital wallets, Ant Group’s Alipay and Tencent Holdings’ WeChat Pay, both of which accept international bank cards. Ant Group serves as Alibaba’s fintech affiliate.
The introduction of this ride-hailing feature supports China’s visa-free travel policies, which allow visitors from 43 countries to stay in mainland China for up to 30 days. Additionally, travelers from many other countries can spend 240 hours in transit without a visa. During the Labour Day “golden week” holiday from May 1 to 5, the National Immigration Administration reported a 73 percent increase in visa-free foreign visitors to about 380,000 people compared to the previous year.
This move by Amap comes eight years after Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing launched its English-language service in 2017. Didi initially offered rides in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou and has since expanded its English services nationwide, including Hong Kong. Didi also permits registration with foreign phone numbers and payments using international bank cards. The company operates in over 10 overseas markets, including Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Unlike Didi, Amap does not operate its own ride-hailing business. Instead, it aggregates services from numerous third-party ride-hailing platforms across China. Outside China, Amap’s global map content and traffic data are provided through a partnership with Netherlands-based Here Technologies.
In May last year, Amap extended its ride-hailing feature to Hong Kong, initially offering taxi services and later adding private car rentals via third-party operators. Didi has also recently added private car rentals alongside its taxi services.
However, it remains illegal in Hong Kong for private vehicle drivers to accept paid passengers without a hire-car permit. Platforms like Uber, Tada, Amap, and Didi currently operate without regulation in Hong Kong. A regulatory framework for ride-hailing platforms is expected to be presented to Hong Kong lawmakers later this year.
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