The world's top Internet search engine, Google said it has forged an alliance with China Mobile to provide mobile and Internet services in China.
Google said in a statement on Thursday that it would provide
technology to China Mobile, the nation's largest handset
operator, allowing searches on the Chinese firm's Monternet WAP
portal.
The service entered trial operations in December and would be
rolled out in early 2007, the Mountain View, California-based
company said.
China's 132 million online users rank second only to the United
States as the world's largest Internet market, making for
potentially mouth-watering revenue opportunities.
Last month, US software giant Microsoft and Chinese Internet
search portal Baidu joined forces, with Microsoft to display
Baidu search advertising on its MSN, Live and other websites in
China.
However, the competition is fierce, and eBay only last month
announced it was downgrading its presence in China, handing
control of its main website to Beijing-based wireless services
group TOM Online.
In a separate development, Google will buy a stake in Chinese
peer-to-peer file sharing network operator, Xunlei Networking
Technology Co, according to a state media report Thursday.
The semi-official China Daily newspaper said Google is reportedly
partnering with Ceyuan Ventures, a Shanghai-based venture capital
firm, for the investment.
No financial details were provided, but the newspaper cited a
Google company spokesman as saying an announcement would be made
Friday.