Launched in 2011, WeChat has evolved to include services such as car-hailing, food deliveries, e-commerce and utility payments from just an instant messaging app.

Car-hailing has quickly grown from a niche sector to a large industry in China, where the ubiquity of smartphones has translated into millions of rides a day.

在中国，网约车已迅速从一个小众领域发展为一个大规模产业，智能手机的普及转变为每日数百万次出行。

China's online ride-hailing companies rise to 309

中国网约车公司增至309家

Various online car-hailing apps are providing more solution for transport.

多家网上叫车应用为交通运输提供了更多的解决方案。

AutoNavi provides mapping and other navigation-based services, which Didi also uses in its ride-hailing services.

高德提供的地图以及其他基于导航的服务也被滴滴用于其网约车服务中。

Car-hailing has been met with protests and bans in many countries, but Beijing has sought to co-opt the technology to promote economic growth.

网约车服务在很多国家遭遇抗议和禁令，但中国政府寻求利用这种技术促进经济增长。

Their employers don't keep tabs on how often the drivers work or require them to reach driving quotas.

网约车司机的雇主不管司机工作多长时间，或者对他们有工作的配额要求。

Some ride-hailing applications had encroached on drivers' rights by collecting high commissions, meaning they have to work longer to maintain their incomes.

有些网约车平台设置过高抽成比例，侵害了驾驶员的权益，驾驶员为了保证收入只能超时劳动。

Mark: Think about how taxis and ride-hailing services are already so popular.

马克：想想看，现在出租车和网约车服务已经非常受欢迎了。

But his days in the business are probably numbered, he said on Wednesday.

但他在周三说，他当网约车司机的日子可能不多了。

Taxi and online car-hailing services between Beijing and other cities will resume;

恢复进出北京跨城出租车、网约车等业务；

There are over 3.51 million licensed ride-hailing drivers serving 236 platforms nationwide.

交通运输部运输服务司负责人李华强表示，目前全国共有236家网约车平台企业，取得许可的网约车驾驶员超过351万人。

Earlier this year, Apple invested$ 1bn in Didi Chuxing, the Chinese ride-hailing company.

今年早些时候，苹果向中国网约车企业滴滴出行（Didi Chuxing）投资10亿美元。

On Wednesday, online groups devoted to ride-share drivers were filled with messages of anger and disappointment.

周三，以网约车司机为主的在线社区充满了愤怒和失望的帖子。

The Chinese government has formally legalised online car-hailing services, including San Francisco-based Uber and Beijing's Didi Chuxing, giving a boost to an industry that has operated in a grey area.

中国政府已正式将网约车服务合法化，包括总部位于旧金山的优步（Uber）和中国的滴滴出行（Didi Chuxing），此举让这个一直在灰色地带运营的行业获得提振。

China has created its own local versions of Uber and Lyft, and the ride-hailing business is booming.

中国已经有了本国版本的Uber和Lyft，网约车业务正在蓬勃发展。

The ride-hailing business poses especially tricky concerns for local governments.

网约车服务业给地方政府带来了特别棘手的问题。

China legalised ride-hailing just last week, clearing the way for the market to expand further.

就在上周，中国将网约车合法化，为该市场进一步扩大扫清了道路。

However, Uber's task in China became much harder when China's two largest car-hailing companies, Didi and Kuaidi, merged early last year.

然而，当中国最大的两家网约车企业——滴滴和快的（Kuaidi）——在去年初合并后，优步在中国的任务变得困难得多。

The political power of China's taxi services-which see ride-hailing companies as dangerous rivals-presents a particularly strong challenge, he said.

他说，中国出租车行业的政治力量是一个尤其强大的挑战，出租车公司把网约车公司视为危险的竞争对手。

The week before last week, ride-sharing business Didi acquired 99 in Brazil, crimping fellow group Uber's prospects in the country.

上上周，共享出行企业滴滴收购了巴西的网约车企业99，势必影响竞争对手优步（Uber）在该国的发展前景。