Residents in Ningbo now are able to rent public bikes via a mini program on WeChat, a social media platform in China. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Residents of Ningbo can now rent public bikes using a mini program on WeChat, a social media platform in China.

Users must register with their telephone number to access the bike rental service and pay a 200-yuan ($28.9) deposit.

Those holding physical cards which allow for bike rental can register their card information to avoid paying the deposit.

The cards are limited to those issued by Ningbo Citizen Card Operation Management Co Ltd.

To rent or return the bike, the mini program will pinpoint the nearest bike station according to the user's location.

Then, users should select a bike dock and click the rent button on the LED screen on the left of the dock. Afterwards, a four-digit verification code will be provided on the screen. The bikes will be unlocked after the codes are entered.

Users will be alerted when the vehicle is returned to an empty dock at any station. The program will then automatically deduct the amount owed from the user's account. 

The public bikes in the city are free to ride for the first hour. If users don't want to be charged usage fees, they can return the bike to a nearby station before their hour is up and borrow it again.