News Asia
Google Shuts Down its Google Translate Service in Mainland China
(CTN News) – Google shut down its Google Translate service in mainland China on Monday due to low usage.
In the world’s second-largest economy, one of its last products is being phased out.
Google Translate’s mainland China website now redirects users to Hong Kong. It’s not accessible from mainland China, though.
Due to low usage, Google Translate is being discontinued in mainland China.
Google’s relationship with China has been fraught. In 2010, Google pulled its search engine from China because of government censorship. Google Maps and Gmail are also effectively blocked by China.
Consequently, Baidu and Tencent, a social media and gaming giant, have dominated the Chinese internet landscape from search to translation.
These days, Google’s presence in China is pretty limited. Some of its hardware, like smartphones, is made in China. According to the New York Times, Google’s Pixel phones are now being made in Vietnam.
In addition, Google is trying to get Chinese developers to make Android apps that will then be available via the Google Play Store, even though that’s blocked in China.
Despite backlash from employees and politicians, Google scrapped its plans to enter China with its search engine in 2018.
There’s been tension between the U.S. and China in the technology sphere. China’s potential access to sensitive technologies like artificial intelligence and semiconductors worries Washington.
U.S. chipmaker Nvidia announced in August that Washington would restrict its sales to China of specific components.
Related CTN News:
Bangkok Suffered Heavy Rains and Widespread Flooding On Monday
Indian Top Court legalizes Abortion For All Women Regardless Of Marital Status
Dengue Outbreak Out Of Control Across Pakistan, Over 2,000 New Cases