BEIJING — China confirmed Sunday it has renewed Google's license to operate in the world's most populous country, ending a monthslong standoff over Internet censorship.
An official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which regulates Internet operations in China, said the government had approved the license for Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co. Ltd., the operator of Google's China website, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Officials at Google's U.S.-based headquarters announced Friday that the company had received approval for another year.
China's decision to allow Google to continue operations has resolved a monthslong dispute that had threatened the company's future in the country.
The conflict arose in January when Google decided to end its four-year practice of omitting search results that the Chinese government considers subversive or pornographic. Google made the decision after blaming Chinese computer hackers for an attack it said was aimed at stealing the company's technology and e-mail information from human rights activists.
The ministry official, who was not identified, said Guxiang had agreed to "abide by Chinese law" and "ensure the company provides no lawbreaking content," Xinhua said.
The government website listed Guxiang among some 200 companies whose licenses had been renewed until 2012.
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