Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Round Table.
China's bus services need help.
With rising costs and declining ridership, a new government regulation is stepping in.
But can this be the fix that this system desperately needs?
Coming to you live from Beijing, this is Roundtable.
I'm He Yang.
For today's program, I'm joined by Steve Hatherley and Guo Yen in the studio.
First on today's show, Public buses are the backbone of urban mobility and China is no exception.
Yet many bus companies are facing a grim future, struggling to stay afloat with a new regulation set to take effect in December this year.
Local governments are being mandated to support their local bus services.
But can this intervention turn the tide and reduce operational losses?
Let's explore what is at stakeholders for both passengers and public transport operators.
So, well Steve, let's take a look at this regulation maybe in a little bit more detail and the background.
Yeah, this is a big story actually.
And this is from a recent Xinhua report.
The State Council, which is China's cabinet, announced that the urban public transportation regulation on October 23, 2024 will take effect, as you mentioned, in December.
It's going to be on December 1st of this year.
So we are just weeks from this regulation taking effect.
The goal is to promote the high quality development of urban public transportation, also improve its service level, ensure its safety better, meet the basic travel needs of the public and promote the urban modernization, construction.