China renews Google's Internet Content Provider license

A little over a week ago, Google announced that it would stop redirecting Chinese web queries to its uncensored Hong Kong site (a practice that began in March of this year). The change came as Google was about to submit its application for a Internet Content Provider license renewal (necessary to operate a website) to the Chinese government; a renewal Beijing indicated was unlikely if the redirect was still in place. Today, Reuters is reporting that China has in fact renewed the search giant’s ICP licnese, and in an official statement Google wrote, “We are very pleased […] and we look forward to continuing to provide web search and local products to our users in China.” Mark this chapter in the Google v. China saga closed.Read