A Chinese company is preparing to enter Uzbekistan‘s taxi market, bringing its vehicles but hiring local drivers. The country’s Ministry of Transport confirmed the launch to Kursiv Uzbekistan on 11 November.
Previously, the country registered a company called DiDi Taxi LLC in December 2025. However, the Transport Ministry has not confirmed any connection between that business and the newly announced project.
The company in question has yet to reveal how many vehicles it intends to bring into the country.
Navruz Ashurmatov, head of the transport ministry’s press service, said the fleet could number 5,000 or 7,000 cars but stressed that neither figure had been confirmed.
Could China’s DiDi be behind the launch?
Ashurmatov explained that the Chinese would not be allowed to work as drivers under Uzbekistan’s existing rules.
Under a government regulation from April 2025, taxi drivers must be Uzbek citizens aged at least 21, hold a category B driving licence and have at least three years of driving experience. They must also pass a medical examination.
DiDi already operates in 14 countries outside China, with much of its international business concentrated in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Uzbekistan’s ride-hailing market has grown rapidly, attracting competition from services including Yandex Go, Uklon and WB Taxi. In 2025, passengers completed 479 million journeys through registered platforms, generating 9.6 trillion in turnover, according to the Tax Committee.
