Last week we reported on the fact that Microsoft would be shutting down the Chinese version of MSN on June 7. Today, there seems to be new hope for Microsoft in China. A new report done by the Times of India is showing that Microsoft has partnered with Chinese search engine Sogou to launch a new English-language search portal.
In the statement obtained by Times of India, the Chinese search engine notes that “it will leverage the global search technology of Microsoft’s Bing and provide English-language web information and academic data to better serve China’s increasing demand for global information.” The statement also makes it apparent that Sogou will launch a new service which will “automatically translate Chinese language search requests” and “help give Chinese users access to trillions of pieces of English-language information.”
Microsoft, though, has had troubles in China in the past. Microsoft’s latest tussle with Chinese officials had the country ban Windows 8 in government offices for security concerns. Then, more recently, Microsoft was in the crosshair of Chinese antitrust regulators following governmental raids conducted by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) on Microsoft Offices.
