Google to close down two sites in China

Beijing, July 21 (ANI): Google plans to close down two of its Chinese websites, a self-developed website ranking page and a lifestyle site, because of a lack of demand for them.

According to the China Daily, Google will also discontinue technical support for two services for local partner Tianya.cn this week.

Tianya.cn utilizes Google's technologies to power some of its website functions.

"We have always been trying to develop new products and services for our users. Some enjoyed great success while others failed," the paper quoted Google's online statement, as saying.

"In China, the website ranking page and lifestyle site were not welcomed by our users, that's why we decided to shut them down," it added.

Industry watchers say the search giant's decision makes financial sense.

"It's reasonable for Google to shrink its services as the two (services) didn't contribute much to its bottom line," yet they ate up manpower and capital," Li Zhi, an analyst with domestic research firm Analysys International, said.

The reshuffle at the US search engine has come just 10 days after it won the Chinese government's approval to continue running its Chinese website.

Zhang Feng, director of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Telecoms Development Department, said that Google signed an agreement promising to "obey Chinese law" and will avoid linking to material deemed a threat to national security or social stability, which ultimately showed them the green light from to renew its Internet license.

During its dispute with Chinese government authorities, Google's search-engine market share dropped to 30.9 percent in the first quarter from 35.6 percent three months earlier. (ANI)