HONG KONG — The authorities in China are investigating Uber’s planned sale of its Chinese operations to a local rival, complicating a deal intended to bring the American ride-share operator’s costly venture there to an end.
香港——美国约车服务提供商优步拟将其中国业务出售给当地竞争者的计划目前正在接受中国政府的调查。优步在中国损失惨重,意欲停止在这里的业务,但这笔交易如今又遇波折。
At a daily press briefing on Friday, Shen Danyang, a spokeman for the country’s Commerce Ministry, said the inquiry was prompted by local concerns about Uber’s plan to sell the business to China’s Didi Chuxing.
在周五的例行新闻发布会上,中国商务部发言人沈丹阳说,优步向中国的滴滴出行出售业务的计划引发了本地的担忧。
The deal, announced one month ago, would create a new company worth $35 billion that would hold a strong position in the Chinese market for hailing cars via smartphone apps.
上月公布的该笔交易将产生一个估值350亿美元的新公司,稳稳占据中国手机应用约车市场上的一席之地。
The ministry will protect fair competition in the relevant market and safeguard the interests of consumers and the public, Mr. Shen said, according to an official transcript of the press conference.
沈丹阳说,商务部将继续依法推进本案调查工作,保护相关市场公平竞争,维护消费者利益和社会公共利益。
Neither Uber nor Didi Chuxing immediately responded to requests for comment.
优步与滴滴出行都未回应采访请求。
Uber last week said it lost $1.2 billion in the first half of this year, with China accounting for a significant chunk.
优步上周承认,今年上半年,公司损失12亿美元,其中很大一部分来自中国。