Government and Policy

No report from Google yet: Ministry of Commerce

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-15 11:34

BEIJING: China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Yao Jian said Friday that the ministry had received no indications from Google that the company will leave China.

"So far, the MOC and Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce have received no reports that Google would withdraw investment from China, or withdraw from the Chinese market," Yao told a regular press conference.

He said China's investment environment had gradually improved since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy. China would continue to provide a sound investment environment for overseas investors.

Foreign businesses, including Google, should also respect laws and regulations, the public interest, traditional culture, and policies of their host countries, Yao said.

Yao made the remarks after Google's corporate development and chief legal officer, David Drummond, posted a statement on the company's official blog on Tuesday, indicating the possibility that Google may "shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China."

The statement said its disputes with the government and unidentified attacks targeting Google's services in China forced the company to make the review of "the feasibility of our business operations in China."

"Foreign investors should have confidence in China's market as China has the world's biggest Internet population," said Yao. "Any decision by Google to withdraw from China will not affect Sino-U.S. trade relations."