Google: No current plans for China search engine

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai has told a US congressional panel that the company currently has “no plans” to launch a search engine in China but did not rule out a future launch.

Mr Pichai, who testified before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, had told US lawmakers in a letter in August that providing such a search engine would give “broad benefits” to China but that it was unclear whether Google could launch the service there. He told the committee he would be “fully transparent” with policymakers if the company brings search products to China.