Google Inc said China has given it permission to continue operating its Chinese search page, resolving a censorship dispute that had threatened Google's future in the world's biggest Internet market, Reuters reported. The news sent Google shares up 2 percent as it eased immediate concerns that Beijing would kick the company out for taking a hard stance against Web censorship. Analysts, however, stressed that Google's position in China remains fragile and that the Chinese market likely will account for a fraction of Google's revenue for some time. "It is good news for the Chinese consumer, good news for the Chinese Internet industry that Google is still available in the country in some shape or form," said Ted Dean, president of Beijing-based business advisory firm BDA. "But many of the issues around why Google shut down its Chinese search page in the first place are still there." Google had embarrassed China in January by drawing global attention to Beijing's Web censorship practices and by accusing hackers in the country of launching a sophisticated cyber attack on Google and other major U.S. companies. Google had said it was no longer willing to offer censored search results, and the row had added to tensions between Washington and Beijing, which also saw diplomatic spats over China's currency, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, and Tibet. But tensions have subsided in recent months. On Thursday, the Obama administration declined to label China a currency manipulator, and a decision to allow Google to keep its Chinese website could remove another source of friction.
