CHINA: Google receives license to provide Internet content in China

In brief: Under the license, Google might be allowed to offer news to Chinese Internet users

By Melissa Wang
AsiaMedia Staff Writer

Friday, June 22, 2007

Google Inc. announced on Wednesday that it has been granted preliminary approval from China to provide Internet content in China. The license, given by China's Ministry of Information and Industry, will potentially allow Google to offer news to users in China. Additionally, the approval may also help the company to attract more advertising revenue, reported Reuters.

According to Sina.com, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, president of Google China, said last week that the Internet search company will speed up its development in China by placing more servers in the country. Lee also said that Google will begin to send search results to users' cell phones at no charge.

China's current web search market leader, Baidu.com Inc., received its license to provide news content at the beginning of this year.

As of the end of April, China had 144 million Internet users and is the world's second largest on-line community.

Date Posted: 6/22/2007