Uber ready for the long haul in China

Uber Technologies Inc said its strategy of working with vehicle-rental companies in China instead of individual car owners has allowed it to continue operations after a government ban on unlicensed private-car hire.

Uber's driver services are available in nine Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai and have not been affected by a ban last month on private cars offering unlicensed taxi services via mobile-phone applications, according to Candice Lo, who heads the company's expansion efforts in China.

"We change our business and tweak it for the local markets," Lo said in a phone interview. "A lot about how we brand Uber as a business, we do it differently in China."