BEIJING, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Internet search engine Google Inc. reportedly is being investigated in China for allegedly operating without a proper license.
Beijing News, a state-run publication, quoted a government official asking for more cooperation by the Internet giant in blocking "harmful information" from its sites, The Washington Post reported.
The Beijing News story coincided with an editorial in another newspaper accusing Google of coming into China like an "uninvited guest" only to complain about having to follow Chinese law in censoring search results.
The official criticisms may jeopardize Google's ability to do business in China, the report said. Google is already under pressure in the United States from free speech supporters for its business dealings with the Chinese government.
Google defends a recent decision to launch a censored Web site, saying users can continue to use the Chinese version of its regular search engine. The Post said Chinese media criticism may be an attempt to stop Google from telling users of the new site every time a search is censored.
