Chinese ride-hailing giant DiDi launches service in Chile's capital

SANTIAGO - China's global ride-hailing app DiDi Chuxing launched operations in Chile's capital Santiago on Tuesday.

Before inaugurating its service here, the company spent two months in the smaller test market of Greater Valparaiso, Chile's second-largest metropolitan area after Greater Santiago.

"We are very happy by the good reception in Greater Valparaiso. The results have surpassed all of our initial expectations and that's why we have decided to continue to expand to the rest of the country, starting with Santiago," the company's head of expansion in Latin America, Yang Mi, said in a statement.

DiDi aims "to continue to learn and to improve mobility in Chile, with an emphasis on being the safest and most convenient app on the market," said Yang.

The launch features a welcome package for riders new to the app, which offers discounts of up to $14 for the first five trips.

DiDi provides passengers accident insurance on all trips, as well as a 24/7 emergency hotline and other safety features.

The company attracted local drivers with a plan that guarantees earnings of $697 in exchange for reaching daily targets in their first seven days of operation.

DiDi entered the Valparaiso market on June 3, with 16,000 registered drivers.