The Chinese government said Sunday that it has stopped smartphone users from downloading major Chinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing's smartphone app, accusing the company of illegally collecting user data.
Didi's app is still working, at least in Beijing, for those who have already downloaded it. The app, China's equivalent of Uber, is believed to be providing more than 20 million rides in China every single day.
Didi has set up joint ventures with Japanese companies such as Toyota Motor Corp. and SoftBank Corp.
The latest move came as Chinese President Xi Jinping's leadership has pledged to strengthen measures to curb the monopolistic behavior and disorderly capital expansion of IT giants in the country, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
