Source: Qz.com

On paper, Uber’s business in China looks like it is getting crushed by its Chinese rival. But after interviewing several Uber drivers in Shanghai, I made a surprising discovery: Uber has carved out a special place in China. To many upper-class Chinese drivers like Fu, Uber acts more like a social platform than a ride-sharing app, connecting them to new friends. Uber is filling an empty niche created in an upwardly-mobile generation that finds itself far from extended families, or with lots of time on their hands after retirement.

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