Published: 10:42pm, 31 Jan, 2017 Updated: 8:46pm, 20 Jul, 2018
Uber 's general manager in Hong Kong , Kenneth She Chun - dong , says the firm 's greatest growth hurdle is taxi company owners that sell their licences , worth around 500 m ( $ 850,620 ) each , as a commodity for investment rather than a tool for cab drivers . Therefore they see licensing as a threat to their interests . The firm is facing ongoing legal battles involving five Uber drivers charged with buying a car for hire without a license and driving without third - party insurance . She argues that the existing law in Hong Kong on permits is outdated and needs to be relaxed to accommodate new firms like Uber .