Shouqi beats Didi in car hailing license race

Chinese online car-hailing firm Shouqi Limousine and Chauffeur is taking on major rival Didi Chuxing, becoming the first player to obtain all three licenses needed to legally operate a car-hailing business in the country.

The Beijing-based company, a unit of car-rental and taxi firm Beijing Shouqi Group, said it has obtained China's first transportation certificate for vehicles used in ride-hailing businesses.

The news came shortly after the State-owned company said it was green-lighted by the Beijing transport authorities as a legal platform to work in the online car-hailing business.

Major cities rolled out regulations in October, asking car-hailing platform operators, drivers and vehicles to obtain licenses from local governments.

Didi Chuxing, China's largest car-hailing platform, has not yet received these certificates.