On Wednesday in Shanghai, Airbnb unveiled a new Chinese name — Aibiying, which means “welcome each other with love” — as well as efforts to increase local hiring
and deals to draw visitors to Shanghai with offers such as behind-the-scenes visits to the Chinese opera.
“If we are going to achieve our mission of belonging anywhere, anywhere must include China, and anyone must include Chinese travelers.”
But like other global tech firms with an eye on China, Airbnb faces challenges.
Crucially, like LinkedIn, another international hopeful in China, Airbnb complies with Chinese
laws requiring it to keep Chinese data only on domestically based Chinese servers.
Airbnb’s Rivals in China Hold Hands in a Nervous New Market -
By AMIE TSANG and PAUL MOZURMARCH 22, 2017
HONG KONG — Sun Huifeng liked the idea of tapping Airbnb or one of its rising local competitors to rent out his spare Beijing bedroom.
