Google is still exploring a controversial proposal to relaunch its search engine in China, the company’s chief executive has confirmed, while insisting it does not have any current plans to return to the country.
Sundar Pichai has told politicians on the House Judiciary Committee that his company is looking into what a search engine in China would look like, despite concerns that it would mean having to comply with the country’s strict censorship laws. Google left China in 2010 saying it was “no longer willing” to censor its search results.
Mr Pichai told members of the committee: “This effort currently is an internal effort. I’m happy to be transparent to the extent we take steps towards launching a product in China.”