China launches safety audit on ride-hail firms

Chinese authorities launched a security audit of ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing on Wednesday following a public outcry over the rape and murder of a passenger last month, the transport ministry said.

Officials from 10 different government departments, including the public security ministry and the market regulator, will be stationed at Didi for a fortnight, the transport ministry said in a statement.

The company has been slammed by passengers and the transport ministry after a 20-year-old passenger was raped and murdered by her driver in the eastern city of Wenzhou last month, the second such killing this year.