Ming-Hsiung Wang

Good evening everyone. I am an industry representative, the Chairman of the Taipei Taxi Commercial Association. My name is Ming-Hsiung Wang (王明雄).

I feel very warm coming in here, but I also feel quite nervous. (laughter)

We know that what we are talking about today is Share, which is a concept. Since it's about sharing economy, my coming here today is also to "share experience," to hold a dialogue with everyone's experience, starting from here.

Both co-hosts and distinguished attendees, it is truly a pleasure to meet everyone tonight.

I am Ming-Hsiung Wang, Chairman of the Taipei Taxi Commercial Association. I was invited to participate in this meeting. I asked the MOTC if I needed to prepare materials. They said I didn't need to.

However, I prepared a very simple comparison of similarities and differences between taxis and Uber.

Uber caused a stir globally. It drove straight in, acted first, with the attitude "I like it, you have to cooperate with me." Many people were tempted.

There must be comparison; Taiwanese law must compare laws of various countries. Just now our MOTC spoke very well, and industry operators also raised things we can achieve.

Regarding people and vehicles, we state very clearly: what I have in the car is the actual police clearance certificate (holds up taxi driver license).

Before obtaining this license, one must obtain a professional driver's license. Uber says theirs are all police clearance certificates, so what proof do I use? I use this.

But when I just drove a taxi in earlier, the Executive Yuan wouldn't let me in.

You see how our society views taxis like this. But I don't want to talk more about this part...

My point is, since many things are already being done, why is there no way to construct them within our order?

If it is not constructed upon legal order, that is a lofty hat nobody dares to knock off.

I have said a lot about my views on Uber, and I really am sick of Uber, because the pressure on me is quite heavy. But I tell my members that Uber cannot be stopped. What cannot be stopped? That is to say, the technology you talk about cannot be stopped. But technology has a considerable relationship with our citizens' consumption habits.

Many drivers are unwilling to use credit cards; they want cash. Young friends often like credit cards and are unwilling to use cash. Uber can use credit cards, but using credit cards is quite dangerous and exposes much personal data, even more dangerous than EasyCard.

This full end-to-end chain is pulled up; it says it is an IT industry, but what is its behavior? Has everyone thought about it?

Uber has a good side, but it also has a side that makes our nation's friends and colleagues uneasy—and it's not just these two sides. We must view it holistically. Holistically includes many people with different standpoints; the facets they view will all be different. That's why I say we must view it holistically.

Not just these two sides; it needs to be viewed holistically.

I can also tell everyone, "My taxis are all very safe." I must also demand how our driver friends' vehicles should be, and these are all regulated. Let's not raise it to a grand tone saying "everyone is very safe."

Including Taiwan Taxi, which is still in litigation; sometimes it's also unsafe. One needs to think about what I am doing myself right now. You came in and registered a company; this company has only NT$1 million, registered with seven items, and that last item is a special clause.

Can a taxi business be run by simply applying for any company?

Of course not. This card of mine (holds up police clearance certificate) also has to undergo layers of assessment, with regulatory aspects to comply with.

Because everyone doesn't have much time, I will only state the conclusion.

I hope to cooperate with Uber, and I also hope it returns to our taxi contract. I can assist in providing these vehicles to them; whatever they want, we absolutely have.

But if you say 20% must be taken from every trip, that only happens with unmetered illegal taxis. And when problems occur, it has nothing to do with you?

Our automotive transportation industry is one of the nine major industries, bearing obligations and responsibilities toward transport users. Because Uber says it is an information platform industry, not a transportation industry, everyone can think about it: if a problem occurs with Uber, how do you bear this obligation and responsibility?

I hope everyone can cooperate and not confront each other; everyone can hold dialogue and not argue.

Thank you everyone for listening.

I'll answer for him: "Didn't bring it today." (laughter)

Mr. Uber Advisor, you can go back and discuss internally.

Your model is fundamentally identical to ours, but what I know is that your technology is better than ours.

Your model is simply setting up a taxi company, just adding another company. You go back and use "Transportation Consulting Company"—that's a very good name—but operating behavior is identical. I can offer you this suggestion.

Uber takes 20%. If we are allowed to do it, we only need 2%.

If a driver makes NT$2,000 a day, Uber taking 20% is NT$400, while we only need NT$40.

But I know within these two hours today, it's impossible to see the whole picture.

In our industry, besides what everyone can see, there are many things you cannot see. Everyone should continue caring about unseen aspects.

I describe Uber as "letting this order be broken by it." My meaning is: it is beautiful, so many people ride it.

But I must honestly face our industry: we need change, we need improvement. Our shortcomings make citizens feel that our taxis have long lost their shine, and for a long time this color has been insufficient to satisfy everyone's needs.

Consumers love the new and loathe the old; that is human nature, and also where we usually can see. But much is unseen.

Therefore, beneath Uber's beauty lies risk; beneath a beautiful coat lies risk.

I am not blaming them; I have always wanted to cooperate with them. Why would I blame them?

So I hope everyone can be rational. I cannot tell everyone everything you can and cannot see, so we must take it slowly. Just as you are new to this topic, we must take it slowly.

If there is an opportunity, I must tell everyone what you cannot see. Due to time constraints, I don't want to waste much time either. Thank you to all managers for letting me state my views here.