Chinese authorities have said that they have not received any application from US search engine giant Google Inc. to provide Internet mapping services in the country.
According to the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (SBSM), about 70 to 80 firms have submitted their applications since the bureau introduced a new regulation in May that required companies providing online map and location services in China to apply for approval.
"Although Google has made some initial contact with us, it has not officially submitted an application,” The China Daily quoted Song Chaozhi, SBSM Deputy Director General, as saying. Chaozhi further said that Chinese laws and regulations would protect the rights of firms, which receive a license. However, he reiterated that the firms are required to keep their servers inside the country, and must not have any record of information leakage over the past three years. He further said that Finnish cell phone maker Nokia was the only foreign firm to have applied.
