Guangzhou, China - The rage of China's taxi drivers has won them a first victory. In recent weeks, a rash of taxi drivers' strikes has flared up across the country: In Chaozhou and Shantou, both in Guangdong Province; in the city of Chongqing; in Sanya, Hainan Province, and Yongdeng, Gansu Province.

Now, officials in Guangdong province in southern China have slashed the monthly rental that taxi drivers cough up by 800 yuan (S$176.88), according to a city government spokesman.

The concession, announced on Sunday, came as Guangzhou cabbies threatened a mass strike from Monday. The fee cut temporarily dimmed the likelihood of large-scale action, Xinhua reported.

The cut works out to almost 8% of the average monthly fee cabbies pay to rent their vehicles. According to a survey, the average fee was 10,200 yuan.

Cabbies who own their own cars have five-year operating contracts with cab firms and shell out only 5,000 yuan.

The move to slash fees was a joint initiative of the municipal price-control bureau of Guangzhou - the capital of Guangdong - and the municipal committee of communications, reported Xinhua.

It was okayed by the city government, according to the spokesman. The reduction comprises a 500-yuan rental cut and the scrapping of a 300-yuan parking fee.

There are 98 taxi companies in the city, with 17,427 cabs and 37,594 cabbies.

The cabbies' strikes have been driven by factors like high rental fees and competitive pressure from unlicensed taxis.

In response, the police and transport authorities on Monday jointly launched a campaign to crack down on the operation of illegal taxis in the districts of Huangpu and Baiyun, reported China Daily.

Draft regulations aimed at tightening regulation of the taxi service in Guangzhou were also taken up at the People's Congress of Guangzhou City last week.

Still, the cabbies want more. A driver surnamed Guo told China Daily that he considered the fee reduction negligible.

"The cut is too small when compared to the total fee of more than 10,000 yuan for each taxi per month," he said.

He saidmany taxi drivers were expecting the government to do more, such as offering short-time parking so that they could go to the toilet or have a quick meal, and improving the safety of drivers working the night shift, he said.

Last Saturday, about 300 striking cabbies in Chaozhou, a city in Guangdong, went on a rampage, venting their fury against illegal cabs and smashing the taxis of drivers who refused to go on strike.

For more my paper stories click here.