Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings has struck a music distribution deal with with Sony Music Entertainment, as it teams up with labels to try to develop China's paid-for music market. The partnership will give Tencent the right to distribute Sony's music catalog online in China. Tencent did not disclose financial terms of the deal.

The Chinese company will also promote Sony Music's performers on its online platforms, including social network QQ. According to Tencent, QQ has more than 820 million monthly active users.

Last month, Tencent signed a similar music distribution partnership with Warner Music Group. Earlier this month it also agreed to become the exclusive online distributor for South Korea's YG Entertainment, which manages a stable of K-pop artists including "Gangnam Style" rapper Psy.

The entertainment deals reflects how attitudes toward China are changing. Domestic companies are striving to change the image of China as a hotbed of piracy and copyright infringement, a drive that will be supported by official deals with big Western music companies.