# Didi, the ride-sharing giant of China, is coming to North America



## Hugh G (Sep 22, 2016)

*Didi, the ride-sharing giant of China, is coming to North America*


*Plans to expand to Mexico next year*
By Andrew J. Hawkins@andyjayhawk
https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/7/16748178/didi-chuxing-mexico-expand-ride-hail-uber
Dec 7, 2017, 4:27pm EST









_Didi Chuxing_

Didi Chuxing, the Chinese ride-hail behemoth, plans to expand to Mexico next year, according to _Reuters__. _It would be the company's first international expansion and could signal a new phase of competition with Uber, which sold its Chinese business to Didi in 2016 after a lengthy and expensive battle.

_*Didi is the second-most valued, privately owned firm in the world after Uber*_. Its decision to begin recruiting drivers and offering rides in Mexico will surely be seen as shot across Uber's bow at a time when the company has been seen reeling from a series of self-inflicted scandals.

a new phase of competition with Uber

According to _Reuters_, Didi has already laid the groundwork for a Mexico launch:

_About a month ago, Didi met with ProMexico, a government trade and investment body, to discuss opportunities in the country, according to a Mexican official, who declined to provide further details about the conversations._​
Earlier this year, Didi opened an R&D center in Mountain View, California, that's focused on hiring (and probably poaching) top engineering talent to work on artificial intelligence and self-driving car technology.

Didi has had a very interesting couple years, to say the least. The company first crossed many peoples' radars when Apple announced it had invested an eye-popping $1 billion in the ride-hail service. At the time, Didi was locked in an intense competition with Uber for China's rapidly growing ride-hail market.

Eventually the battle grew too costly for Uber, which was reportedly spending $1 billion a year in China. In August, then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick announced his plan to sell his Chinese business to Uber for a 17.7 percent stake in Didi and a seat on the company's board. In exchange, Didi invested $1 billion in Uber.

Didi has also invested in many of Uber's rivals, including Lyft, Brazil's 99, India's Ola, Singapore-headquartered Grab, Estonia's Taxify, and Careem in the Middle East.

Didi does insane amounts of business in China, so it's unsurprising that the firm would look to expand its reach. As of October 2016, Didi said it was performing 20 million rides a day. In addition to private cars, Didi also offers bike-sharing, bus rentals, and a carpooling service called Hitch.


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## george manousaridis (Jan 27, 2017)

I was aware of this in disguise of Taxify.Dont forget they invested in Uber too,just a matter of who takes over who.


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## mach7 (Oct 30, 2017)

Isn't Mexico in central America? ***** will be good in Mexico but they wont stand a chance in the US.


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

mach7 said:


> Isn't Mexico in central America? ***** will be good in Mexico but they wont stand a chance in the US.


No; Mexico is one of 23 countries in * North America  * 

And what a place it is 

.


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## mach7 (Oct 30, 2017)

Who is John Galt? said:


> No; Mexico is one of 23 countries in * North America  *
> 
> And what a place it is
> 
> .


There is nothing North about where Mexico is located.

Who is John Galt? Anyway.. do tell? Been there? What's it like?


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

mach7 said:


> There is nothing North about where Mexico is located.


Given that the imaginary line that the equator represents, divides the earth between the northern and southern hemispheres, and given that Mexico is located north of the equator, with its southern most extremities still 14° north of the equator, most would tend to disagree.
Mexico stretches between about 14° in the south to 32° in the north.
By comparison, Australia stretches between about 11° in the north to about 44° south at the base of Tasmania.

Funnily enough, if Australia only stretched from say Lizard Island off the northern Queensland coast in the north and went only as far south as say Newcastle in NSW, the co-ordinates are almost the same - north / south as Mexico.

Perception is a funny thing isn't it? Many would agree with you that Mexico is not really north but it is 'central', but very few people would think of Australia as 'central' as opposed to southern.



mach7 said:


> Who is John Galt? Anyway.. do tell? Been there? What's it like?


Mexico or all North America? Yes, Mexico a while back, Canadia and USA more frequently, where I have had many, many happy (and some * harrowing * ) experiences of which I have touched upon previously.

Mexico - well it is latin, what can I say?
The girls....tempestuous, fiery, passionate, crazy.
Some time ago, I travelled for many years to many places and a great deal of that travel was in the Americas north of the equator.
I am happy to recount some stories, but may have to come back with those another time.

If I can just pass one little piece of advice it would be: if you are young(ish), work your arse off for a year or two, save and travel solo, to places off (or on) the beaten track that fire your imagination. Two years travelling and living with 'the natives' is like 20 years education and 4 years is like.......you, get the picture.

edit reason: grammar
.


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## MyRedUber (Dec 28, 2015)

mach7 said:


> There is nothing North about where Mexico is located.


Mexico is on the North America Continent.


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

MyRedUber said:


> Mexico is on the North America Continent.


And that's why Mexico, together with the United States and Canada, is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (or NAFTA for short).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

Jack Malarkey said:


> And that's why Mexico, together with the United States and Canada, is a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (or NAFTA for short).
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement


Jack Malarkey, next you'll be suggesting Australia is in Europe because it's in Eurovision.


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