Competing with a company that counts you as an investor is hardly conventional -- some might call it strange -- but for Uber it's a situation that is not only normal but essential.

That's according to the ride-hailing giant's CTO, Thuan Pham, who talked about the complicated rivalry Uber has with China's Didi Chuxing, which counts each other as investors. Uber famously exited China in 2016 -- it has since left Southeast Asia and merged with a rival in Russia, too -- and part of that deal saw it take nearly six percent of the Chinese company's business while Didi got equity in Uber. Yet, years later, the two compete in the growing Latin America market, where Didi is making aggressive moves, and also in Australia.