[anon8418]

> You really think Travis is going to lose in China? This isn't Google China in 2009. Travis partnered with the crazy guy who got Google kicked out of China.

You really think the Chinese government is going to hand over the country's taxi market to a foreign led/managed/owned company? LOL

The fact that you are comparing Travis to the CCP in the same sentence is laughable, as if he has some magical power that will allow him to defy papa Xi in his own country!

China is merely allowing Uber to experiment and establish the concept of ride-sharing in China. Once that happens they will steamroll them over using every trick in the book, including ironically, lots of regulation!

[free2rhyme214]

Sure why not? Microsoft is the leading computer operating system in China. Android and iOS are the top mobile operating systems. All are U.S. led/managed/owned companies.

To address your second point about regulation, Didi Kuaidi doesn't escape regulation any more than Uber does.

http://qz.com/522056/the-chinese-government-just-issued-a-dr...

Uber raised $2B from Chinese investors and is partnered with Baidu. I never said Uber will win the taxi market in China, because that's incredibly hard, but to "LOL" and call my statement "laughable" I believe is a little off considering their strategy.

[anon8418]

It's laughable not because of "their strategy", but because your statement displays a lack of understanding (complete imo) about how business is done (and has always been done) in China. It is a very naive view, made especially so by your "do you really think Travis would _allow_ ..." as if Travis has ANY control in China.

MS, Android, etc. those are outliers and every story has one. The reality is, the vast majority of foreign companies looking to dominate Chinese market share have met their demise.

I would say _especially_ so for companies that are displacing local operators.

Just think how mad the US taxi industry is about Uber. Now imagine if Uber is owned/operated by Jose in Mexico City. You think our politicians wouldn't regulate the hell out of it? You expect less from the Chinese?

In regards to Didi Kuaidi. Sure they'll be regulated too, but when it comes down to the wire who do you think the government will side with?

[free2rhyme214]

I agree to disagree. It's impossible to predict the future but if I was forecasting Uber's future in China, I believe they have a good chance of succeeding. That's just my opinion.

I respect that you have a different opinion but you shouldn't assume so easily.

I recently worked for a Chinese software company for over three years. I helped them IPO in China last year before the Chinese stock market collapsed. I know how hard it is to breakthrough in China because my last company had more success in North America and EMEA than APAC. Chinese regulation is hard but I'll side with Uber any day because I believe in Travis and his team, even if you don't.

[anon8418]

> I respect that you have a different opinion but you shouldn't assume so easily.

You are assuming my opinion is easily formed, when it is based off of lots of experience in China and discussions with a wide network of people with even more experience in China.

Uber may succeed in China, but it will be at the blessing of the CCP (another HN commentator raises one possibility: if Chinese investors own a majority of the company). To think "Travis and his team" have any real control in China is - no offense - totally naive.

[free2rhyme214]

I never said Travis and his team has any control in China. I said I believe in them and that they partnered with strong local investors like Baidu.

My statements aren't "laughable" or "totally naive." You just want to be right huh?

[anon8418]

I think your view is naive because you think Travis and his "strategy" have any bearing on Uber's long-term success in China.

The only strategy that matters is how to curry favor with, and kowtow to, the Chinese leadership and central to that strategy, unfortunately, is not being majority foreign owned/operated (especially by Americans).

> My statements aren't "laughable" or "totally naive." You just want to be right huh?

Now you're just projecting.

Your view is in the minority, even here on HN. If you were to take this view to more China-centric online communities, you'll find even fewer supporters.

"Laughable" is mean-spirited, but "naive" is a fitting description.

[chrischen]

Xiaomi employs Hugo barras, former head of android. China has the source code to Windows (not sure if current versions). And on top of all that no Chinese person uses googles ecosystem on android and they cannot use many of iOS features like Apple Pay. They jailbreak and side load apps.

[est]

> they cannot use many of iOS features like Apple Pay

Joke's on you, China is the 5th country has Apple Pay. Earlier than most European countries.

http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/apple-pay-goes-live-in-chin...

it's confirmed you can withdraw cash from ATM using Apple Pay in China if your UnionPay card has Quickpass enabled.

Rumor says 38 million UnionPay cards added to Apple Pay devices In the first 24 hours.

[decster]

> they cannot use many of iOS features like Apple Pay That's not true anymore

[chrischen]

They don't. If it's accepted at 10% of retail locations in the US it's accepted at close to 0% in China.

[chetanahuja]

For Chinese (and Indian) economies, the recent VC boom has been a significant conduit to siphon foreign dollars directly into consumer economies. The govt's have mostly kept a handsoff approach as long it's basically acting as a consumer economy stimulus funded by the VC. If any of these businesses become significant profit drivers, you can bet your last dime that local competition will find ways win those markets using whatever means necessary (more easily in China than India... but still).

[xenihn]

I actually think that this is going to end with a Chinese company having a majority stake in Uber.

[est]

> the country's taxi market to a foreign led/managed/owned company? LOL

You really think Uber China is Uber? LOL. It's managed, operated, financed by a Shanghai based independent company called 雾博 infotech.

[anon8418]

Is this a joke? You think Uber China is truly "independent"?

Who do you think pulls the strings, dictates the strategy, provides the underlying technology?

Saying Uber China is "independent" is even more laughable than "Uber drivers are independent contractors".