China is cracking down on ride-sharing apps like Uber

China’s Ministry of Transport banned private cars from offering unlicensed taxi services via mobile-phone apps, even as it endorsed the software as having a “positive role” for licensed vehicles and chauffeurs. Car-hailing apps should differentiate their services from public transportation and taxis, according to a Jan. 8 report on the ministry’s website written by its official newspaper. It didn’t identify any of the service providers. “Banning private cars from using the apps will put passengers at ease,” the ministry said. “But apps for premium car services have an innovative service model and play a positive role in meeting the high-end and differentiated transportation market,” it said. The announcement of a nationwide policy follows municipal bans on private-car use of the hailing apps. Beijing city will crack down on unlicensed vehicles using services including that of Uber Technologies Inc., China National Radio said on Jan. 7.