People ride bikes of Chinese bike-sharing giant Mobike in Washington D.C., the United States, Sept. 20, 2017. Chinese bike-sharing giant Mobike launched its service here on Wednesday, marking its U.S. debut amid a rapid global expansion. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
Mobike, one of China biggest bike sharing brands, announced its entry into the U.S. market Wednesday in a company statement.
Mobike's signature silver and orange dock-less bicycles are now on the streets of Washington D.C., making the United States the company's seventh overseas market, following Britain, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
"We are very excited that Washington has become our first destination into the North American market," said Mobike founder Hu Weiwei.
"Mobike is dedicated to cultivating bike-sharing culture by working with cities across the globe. Entering the United States is a key step. We look forward to working with more cities in the United States to make cycling the most comfortable, economical, and environmentally-friendly transportation," Hu said.
Before entering the United States, Mobike partnered with U.S. telecom giant AT&T, and Qualcomm to better serve local riders.
Shared bikes have become hugely popular in China for their convenience and low cost. There are currently 16 million shared bikes on streets and about 100,000 people employed in the industry, according to the State Information Center earlier this month.P Each day, around 50 million rides are taken in China, meaning each bike is used around three times on average.
Following their success in the domestic market, the leading Chinese bike-sharing companies have expanded overseas. Ofo, Mobike's biggest rival, has also launched bikes in Austria, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Britain and Kazakhstan.
