Google gets China nod to keep search page
SHANGHAI: Google Inc has been given the green light by Beijing to continue operating its Chinese search page, averting a potential shutdown of its flagship search site in the world’s biggest Internet market.
Google said last week that it would stop automatically rerouting users to its uncensored Hong Kong based search page, explaining that Beijing had indicated it would not renew its Internet Content Provider (ICP) licence if it continued to do so.
That had prompted speculation that China might use the opportunity to shut down Google’s China search page, which would have been a blow to its other business in the country.
“China has renewed our licence,” a Google spokeswoman told Reuters yesterday. “We are very pleased that the government has renewed our ICP licence and we look forward to continuing to provide web search and local products to our users in China.”
China Internet analysts and industry watchers welcomed the move as a positive sign but cautioned against heady optimism.
”It is good news for the Chinese consumer, good news for the Chinese Internet industry that Google is still available in the country in some shape or form,” said Ted Dean, president of Beijingbased business advisory firm BDA. — Reuters
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