Amap ride-hailing service infuriates cabbies with competitive fees

The local taxi industry is outraged by mainland mapping and navigation services provider Amap's recent launch of car ride-hailing services, urging the government to strengthen the regulations.

The newly launched services were seen as an attempt to dominate the market through price war and would harm the industry, said Chow Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association on Wednesday. 

He noted that the industry plans to negotiate with the company or initiate a petition, as Amap had previously promised to offer only taxi-hailing services when it entered Hong Kong in May last year.

Chow also mentioned a meeting scheduled with Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan to discuss the crackdown as well as regulations over car ride-hailing and hoped the government would promote fair competition between taxis and private cars.

Lawmaker Ben Chan Hang-pan expected the government to propose regulations for online ride-hailing platforms by the end of the year.

He also emphasized that the taxi industry "needs to be well-prepared" for the entry of different platforms into the market while highlighting the importance of fair competition.