(Yicai Global) Aug. 29 -- Didi Chuxing, China's biggest ride-hailing platform, has abstained from registering its data with regulators, according to the vice chief of southern China's traffic authority, as the country mulls over the second murder that took place over the weekend during a carpool ride.

Didi has decided not to register its data with government regulators -- not just in Guangdong but around the country -- and refused to provide detailed information about its drivers and vehicles, making it impossible for regulators to carry out targeted law enforcement as they can only rely on road checks, local newspaper Yangcheng Evening News reported, citing Wang Fumin, deputy director of the province's transport department, as saying in a radio interview yesterday. Wang was answering a question regarding why government agencies have failed to regulate illegal online taxis.

After ordering a Didi Hitch ride, a female passenger was murdered in Wenzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province at 1.00 p.m. on 25 Aug. The driver confessed to the rape and murder, which marks the second fatal assault during Didi's carpool rides since May. 

Regulators will have access to Didi's complete set of data and eliminate illegal online taxis by the end of the year after Didi completes its overhaul late next month, Wang added.

Guangdong has handed out business licenses to over 20 ride-hailing platforms and given over 52,200 driver's licenses to their drivers, Wang said, adding that this figure represents the largest number of such licenses granted by a province and makes up some 17.7 percent of all driver's licenses issued nationwide.

Editor: Emmi Laine