bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Zheping Huang

Kuaidi Dache founder Andy Chen Weixing was forced out of China’s ride-hailing industry in 2015 after his company merged with competitor Didi Dache to end a ruinous price war and form a larger service provider, Didi Chuxing.
As the management at ride-hailing giant Didi struggles to contain the fallout from a second passenger killed in three months, the 35-year-old entrepreneur is back with a new blockchain-based app called VV Go that seeks to improve passenger safety and increase the income of drivers.
Both elements are sorely needed by China’s ride-hailing industry, which has been rocked by the death of two young women passengers on Didi’s carpool-like Hitch service within the space of three months. Chen’s one-time industry rivals Cheng Wei and Jean Liu Qing – Didi’s chief executive and president, respectively – issued a mea culpa on Tuesday for the company’s role in the death, saying that “breathless expansion” had caused the start-up to lose sight of its original goal of improving transport.
“I think a good design of rules can definitely help improve safety, and blockchain is the very thing to design better rules,” Chen said in an interview.

A blockchain-powered ride-hailing platform will be able to share information about drivers and rides among all users in a timely and transparent manner, he said. If a passenger, for example, sends out an emergency call, the shared network would enable other drivers and even the police to respond quickly.
In the case of the second ride-hitching death, the victim had sent out a message for help to a friend after getting onto the ride, but Didi did not share trip details because of privacy concerns. Didi now says it will work on a three-way connection with the police hotline and company for user complaints involving personal safety.
Blockchain, the distributed ledger technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum, was designed to provide greater transparency to its users. The technology enables the creation of an online database network in which multiple participants share and store records of transactions in a secure and efficient manner, according to a white paper commissioned by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Such an online network makes a full audit trail of transaction history constantly available for examination.
Chen is pursuing his ride-hailing-on-a-blockchain initiative through a non-profit enterprise called VV Share, which he established with Yang Jun, co-founder of group-buying service Meituan that is now part of online-to-offline local services giant Meituan Dianping. VV Share, which runs its namesake public blockchain network, currently has a staff of about 100.
Didi’s founder says vanity and breathless expansion contributed to tragedy of passenger rape-murder
Blockchain-enabled ride-hailing app VV Go represents VV Share’s first project in building a shared economy. The user experience of VV Go is similar to that offered by the likes of Uber Technologies and Didi, Chen said. VV Go employs algorithms to dispatch orders in a way that makes the best sense for drivers and commuters.
VV Share plans to issue its VVS tokens for use on VV Go and other blockchain-based on-demand services the firm is looking to develop. Its sharing economy will involve the creation of 100 billion VVS tokens, about 80 per cent of which will be distributed to users and the rest as a reward to VV Share’s core team and advisers.
Chen said because drivers, as users, essentially own the blockchain ride-hailing platform through tokens “protecting passengers and maintaining the platform’s security become their own business”. “That’s more effective than letting just one company take responsibility [for any issues],” he said.
Top China regulator warns against ‘mythologising’ blockchain technology
It remains unclear exactly how VV Share will distribute the VVS tokens to the drivers and others taking part in the VV Go blockchain-based ride-hailing operation. The revenue distribution model of VV Go also remains unknown.
Chen said the token supply and distribution is not finalised, and that he will release more information in the coming months.
While VV Go aims to address the passenger safety concerns in China’s ride-hailing market, it also comes at a time when the government has moved to tighten controls over the country’s nascent blockchain sector.
While the Chinese government is looking to adopt blockchain in areas from record management to cybersecurity, Beijing has made it clear it does not want retail investors to get involved with cryptocurrency exchanges and initial coin offering fundraising schemes because of concerns these activities would cause financial instability.
Welcome to China’s wild, wild world of blockchain investment
Chen said he was in talks with several local governments, including that of his home city of Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. But he expected the initial roll-out to be conducted at the end of this year in either Singapore, San Francisco, Toronto or Hong Kong.
VV Share is not the first enterprise to develop a blockchain-based ride-sharing platform. Last month, MVL Foundation rolled out the ride-hailing mobile app call TADA, which had more than 9,500 drivers three weeks three weeks after its launch. Arcade City, which was launched in Austin, Texas in 2016, created a ride-hailing app based on ethereum, and has now expanded into other US cities.
In 2012, Chen founded Hangzhou Kuaizhi Technology to develop the ride-hailing app Kuaidi Dache. He launched the app in Hangzhou in August that year, a month ahead of larger rival Didi Dache’s initial roll-out in Beijing. His business also drew capital from some big investors such as Alibaba Group Holding, the parent company of the Post.
The founder of Chinese ride-hailing service now eyes e-logistics business nationwide
Tencent Holdings-backed Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache each burned plenty of cash as they subsidised trips to gain market share. The two firms merged their operations the following year. It was eventually renamed as Didi Chuxing.
Chen left Didi and focused on other hi-tech projects. He is an investor in Bytedance, owner of mobile news aggregator app operator Jinri Toutiao. He is also the single largest shareholder of Hong Kong-listed NetMind Financial Holdings, a company shifting from mining to e-logistics.
Chen, however, has earmarked 1 billion yuan (US$147 million) – or about one-fifth of his total investments – into blockchain-related start-ups, including cryptocurrency exchanges Bitnance and Huobi.
On the future of VV Go, he looks forward to eventually competing head on against Uber and Didi. “I’m not afraid of competition. If my experiment is successful, their model will become problematic.”


This ride-hailing pioneer thinks blockchain can solve the ride-hailing safety crisis in China 

The new VV Go platform aims to address the passenger safety concerns in China’s ride-hailing market, while boosting the income of drivers

A smartphone screenshot of an initial test for a new blockchain-based ride-hailing service developed by Chinese tech entrepreneur Chen Weixing. Photo: HANDOUT

Chinese tech entrepreneur Andy Chen Weixing, founder of Kuaidi Dache, is looking to disrupt the ride-hailing industry with a new blockchain-based app called VV Go. Photo: Nora Tam

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The new VV Go platform aims to address the passenger safety concerns in China’s ride-hailing market, while boosting the income of drivers
