China renews Google’s web page licence

That had prompted speculation that China might use the opportunity to shut down Google’s China search page,in what would have been a blow to its other business in the country.

“China has renewed our licence,” a Google spokeswoman said. “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.”

Google stunned markets and consumers in January when it warned it might quit the country,saying it would not provide the censored search results that China requires.

In March,Google began to redirect visitors to its China website to a search site in Hong Kong that provided uncensored results.

But it stopped automatically rerouting users last week,in what analysts saw as a softening of its stance and a willingness to compromise to maintain a foothold in the world’s biggest Internet market by users.

Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt had expressed confidence about securing the licence on Thursday.