国内英语资讯:China Exclusive: Shared bikes hit country roads_时事

国内英语资讯:China Exclusive: Shared bikes hit country roads

Mobike CEO Wang Xiaofeng said the countryside shouldn't be forgotten when it comes to shared bikes, which have been nicknamed one of the "new four great inventions" in China, along with high-speed railways, electronic payment and online shopping.

Bike-sharing is not just a privilege for urbanites, Wang said.

"The whole society can benefit from technological progress and access to equal services," said Wang. "That is what 'sharing' really means."

China's bike-sharing industry rose from nowhere, reaching a frenzy in less than three years. Two market leaders -- ofo and Mobike -- are both worth more than 10 billion yuan (1.5 billion U.S. dollars).

The industry is expected to earn 10.3 billion yuan in revenue this year, a 736-percent increase from 1.2 billion yuan in 2016, according to a report from iMedia Research. It estimated the number of shared-bike users in China will hit 209 million this year, compared with 28 million last year.

Before Mobike's move, ofo had tested the waters in rural areas. The company put 200 bikes in Sanhui Village in southwest China's Sichuan Province in mid-May.

Bike maintenance is harder in the countryside. According to the agreement between the Qiqili village committee and Mobike, the committee is responsible for management of the bikes and the operator will regularly send maintenance workers to the village.

The bikes, which are vulnerable to vandalism in cities, are treated better by users in Qiqili. Villagers eligible to use the bikes for free regularly clean the bikes and make saddle covers.