Didi Chuxing Responds to Alleged Sexual Assault And Acquisition Rumor

On June 11, Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing (Didi) responded to two pieces of news related to the company that has been spreading these days.

At midnight on June 10, a suspected Didi ride-hailing driver in Zhengzhou, Henan Province allegedly drugged and raped a female passenger during a live broadcast on “Xinglian Livestream” platform, Weibo user “Qiao Ke Li Cui Cui Sha” reported on June 11. The driver also uploaded a 21-minute video of the assault on the platform. Zhengzhou local police said they are investigating the situation and will report any progress as soon as possible.

SEE ALSO: Over 50 Sexual Assaults and 2 Murders in 4 Years, How Can Didi Better Protect its Passengers?

Didi responded on its official Weibo account late on Thursday, saying: “We are aware of the unverified online information regarding ‘a DiDi driver live-streams sexual assault’. We have notified the police and are urgently verifying the accuracy of such claims. We will disclose any progress to the public in a timely manner.”

On June 12, Zhengzhou local police released the result of the investigation. According to Zhengzhou city police, the incident was a couple carrying out an illegal pornographic performance on a live-streaming platform to attract others to watch, with the suspect posing as an online car-hailing driver raping a female passenger. The two suspects have been arrested. Neither of the couple is a registered DiDi driver, according to the latest police statement.

Didi also responded to the rumor that Meituan is to acquire Didi. The company posted on its official Weibo account, “Some people dare to make it up, some people dare to believe it,” with an illustration suggesting “bullshit” in Chinese.