Google has 'no plans' to launch Chinese search engine -CEO

Google has'no plans' to relaunch a search engine in China though it is continuing to study the idea, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel on Tuesday amid increased scrutiny of big tech firms. Lawmakers and Google employees have raised concerns the company would comply with China's internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Asian nation's search engine market. Google's main search platform has been blocked in China since 2010, but the Alphabet Inc unit has been attempting to make new inroads into the country, which has the world's largest number of smartphone users. Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a U.S. congressional panel Google had over 100 people working on the project at one point. 'Right now, there are no plans to launch search in China,' Pichai told the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.