Internet giant Google, which has agreed to block politically sensitive items on its new China site, rejected Chinese newspaper reports on Tuesday that the new platform does not have the correct license.

The Beijing News reported on Tuesday that Google.cn, the recently launched service that accommodates China’s censorship demands, has not obtained the Internet content provider (ICP) license needed to operate Internet content services in China.

The Ministry of Information Industry, which regulates China’s Internet, was “concerned” and investigating the problem, the paper said.

“Under China’s policy framework for the Internet, Google.cn is clearly unlawful,” said the China Business Times.

A Google spokeswoman said the newspaper reports were groundless. “Google has the required license to operate the Google.cn service in China,” she said in an emailed statement.

Google used the ICP license of another, local company, Ganji.com, under a business partnership — a practice followed by many international Internet companies in China. The license number is displayed at the bottom of the Google.cn screen.

Source: Reuters