(Yicai Global) Aug. 3 -- The Chinese government has called on local administrations to work with bike-sharing operators to regulate parking in its latest guidelines for the industry.

The government encourages the development of the internet bike rental industry, but not the online electric bike rental industry, a document jointly released yesterday by the Ministry of Transport and nine other government ministries said.

Web-based bike rental service providers are responsible for managing bicycle parking and should promote the use of technologies such as electric fences and dispose of illegally parked bikes as well as those that are unsafe or inoperable, the document said.

Bike-sharing firms should buy personal accident insurance for riders and clearly indicate their fee schedule and standards, and should not provide services to children under the age of 12, the ministries said.

The guidelines recommend that local governments foster the construction of bike lanes and draw up a list of areas and roads where parking is forbidden.

Complementary bike parking areas and the adoption of electric fence technology in cities' key business districts, public transportation stations and hubs, residential areas and scenic spots could facilitate bike parking, the document said.

Bike-sharing, which has offered Chinese a convenient way to get around, has developed rapidly in China's cities. Shared bikes have frequently been parked improperly, vandalized and stolen.