China still reviewing Google’s license renewal application

BEIJING - The Chinese Ministry of Industrial and Information Technology has informed that it is still examining Google Inc.’s application to renew its content license.

The government’s response has come after the search giant revamped the homepage of its Google.cn site on Monday by providing links to music, translation and shopping services apart from adding the old Internet Content Provider (ICP) license number at the bottom of the page.

“We are still examining their application, Google submitted its application quite late and as such the ministry will need more time to announce its results,” China Daily quoted Wang Lijian, a ministry spokesman, as saying.

According to Chinese regulations, the government has the right to shut down websites that have failed to get their operating licenses approved or renewed.

Meanwhile, Marsha Wang, spokesperson of Google China, has said that the domestic homepage update did not mean that its application for the renewal of the ICP license has been approved.

“We are still waiting to hear from the government, Google’s existing operating license continues to be valid till the Chinese government officially refuses to renew it,” Wang said. (ANI)