Migrant drivers for Didi Chuxing in China’s two biggest cities are continuing to pick up passengers, risking fines in defiance¹ of new rules barring them from working for ride-hailing platforms.

在中国的两座最大城市，滴滴出行(Didi Chuxing)的外地户籍司机继续为乘客提供出行服务，违反了打车软件不得使用这类司机的新规则，面临着被处罚的风险。

China’s ride-sharing platforms face their biggest regulatory test so far after city governments in Beijing and Shanghai approved a policy of “local cars, local drivers” on Wednesday.

在京沪两地政府周三批准“本地车牌、本地司机”的政策之后，中国的打车软件平台面临着迄今最严峻的监管考验。

Didi Chuxing, China’s dominant² ride-sharing company, is continuing to let migrants drive in those cities, putting it on course for a potential confrontation³ with local governments determined⁴ to reduce the migrant population.

作为中国占主导地位的打车软件公司，滴滴出行继续让外地户籍司机在这些城市提供服务，使自己与当地政府之间面临潜在冲突，因为后者决心减少外来人口数量。

“The regulations say you can be fined Rmb10,000 ($1,440) if you are discovered. But 99 per cent of passengers don’t want us to be checked, or they wouldn’t be able to take taxis, so they won’t report us,” said Mr. Huang,a driver in Shanghai originally from Jiangsu.

“规定说，如果被发现，你会被罚款1万元人民币（合1440美元），但99%的乘客不希望我们受到限制，否则他们就坐不到出租车，所以他们不会举报我们，”从老家江苏来到上海当滴滴司机的黄先生说。

Two migrant drivers in Beijing said Didi had told its drivers to continue business as normal, and that Didi said it was talking with local authorities.

北京的两名外地户籍司机表示，滴滴告诉他们像往常一样接单干活。滴滴出行表示，其正在与地方当局进行协商。

Beijing’s regulations have a five-month grace period for implementation⁵, whereas Shanghai’s restrictions⁶ went into effect on Thursday.

北京的监管规定存在五个月的执行宽限期，而上海规定已于周四生效。

“It still takes time to hammer out many details of implementing⁷ the rules, and we are in close consultation⁸ with Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, and are optimistic about the process,” Didi said.

“敲定新规的执行细则仍是需要时间的，我们正与北京、上海和其他城市进行密切协商，我们对这个过程感到乐观，”滴滴出行表示。

“Didi believes the local governments and Didi share a common interest in ensuring a smooth transition while sustaining a friendly environment for the new rideshare industry,” the company added.

“滴滴相信，确保平稳过渡，并为新生的共享出行行业保持一个友好的环境，是符合当地政府和滴滴的共同利益的，”该公司补充称。

But a “smooth transition” does not mean Didi can change the rules. “The regulations, which have already been issued, are very unlikely to be changed,” said Gu Dasong, a professor at Southeast University Law School.

但“平稳过渡”并不意味着滴滴可以改变规则。“监管规则已经发布，不大可能进行修改，”东南大学法学院副教授顾大松说。

“The possibility that Beijing will make changes to the regulation is very small,” agreed Ma Qiji of the AliResearch Institute, an internet research firm. “Controlling population numbers in the capital city is a central government strategy. The political factors outweigh⁹ the concerns for the [ride-sharing] market, and for employment rights.”

“北京修改规则的可能性非常小，”互联网研究公司阿里研究院(AliResearch Institute)的马旗戟同意这一看法。“控制首都人口数量是中央政府的一项战略。政治因素大于（共享出行）市场和就业权利引发的关注。”