Chinese ride-hailing company Didi makes stars of its Communist Party drivers

Party members among 21 million drivers to be given special red profiles on Didi app and allowed to advertise membership with dashboard stickers

Red Flag Steering Wheel programme encourages professional and ideological development of company’s party members

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Travellers using Didi may encounter dashboard stickers announcing their driver’s Communist Party membership. Photo: Weibo

Published: 5:45pm, 25 Sep 2019Updated: 9:28pm, 25 Sep 2019

China’s largest ride-hailing company, Didi Chuxing, has launched a branding initiative that allows drivers who are Communist Party members to publicise their membership through its app and on their car’s dashboard.

The company, China’s equivalent of Uber, said in a social media article on Friday that the Red Flag Steering Wheel programme was launched for drivers to promote the virtues of party membership.

“The profile photos [on the app] of the drivers will have a red background and a party emblem to identify them as a party member,” the Weibo article said.

“[The programme] aims to distribute the latest directions and policies of the party to [Didi] drivers through offline and online activities, and to help them learn and be active members of the party community,” it said.

“We want to raise awareness among drivers of [providing a better] service and ensuring safer and more comfortable transport for the public.”

Customers booking online with Didi can see if their driver is a party member and part of the Red Flag Steering Wheel programme. Photo: Weibo

A company spokesman on Tuesday said the programme was voluntary.