Striking taxi drivers returned to work Monday in northwest China's Qinghai Province after a county government promised to crack down on unlicensed cabs.

The strike started at 8 a.m. Sunday when more than 100 taxi drivers gathered on a road in Tongren County, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, to demand official curbs on illegal taxis.

They also demanded a rise in the minimum fare from the current three yuan (40 U.S. cents) and the installation of meters.

The lack of regulation of the market in taxi licenses had led to the problems, said Doje Nanjor, vice head of the county transportation bureau.

"The 6.5-square-kilometer county seat has about 40,000 people. The government has issued 180 taxi licenses since 2003, most of whom were unemployed workers. The registration fee is 960 yuan for each driver."

Doje said the government was considering the drivers' demands.

He did not give the number of the unlicensed cabs. A driver who declined to give his name said the number exceeded 300.

"Illegal cab drivers can earn more money easily because they do not have to pay for a license, which can cost up to 40,000 yuan for each driver," the driver said.

Another driver, who declined to be named, said, "I believe the government can curb the rampant illegal cabs. We would not go on strike as long as our rights are protected."

Unlicensed taxis were partly blamed for triggering strikes by licensed drivers in several Chinese cities including the southwest municipality of Chongqing and the southern resort town of Sanya last year.

The Qinghai strike came shortly after an announcement by the Ministries of Transport and Public Security to launch a nationwide crackdown on unlicensed taxis in an effort to protect cabbies from illegal competition.

The campaign will start on Feb. 20 and last three months.

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2009)