The Chinese government has reportedly blocked Microsoft Bing Search Engine the only global search platform that was open for use in the country, the Microsoft announced on Thursday. According to a report in Financial Times, mainland Chinese users wrote on social media that attempts to access the Bing Search Engine China site, cn.bing.com, failed.
“Two sources familiar with the government order confirmed that the Bing Search Engine blocked. One of the sources explained that the China Unicom, one of China’s major state-owned telecoms companies, had confirmed the government had ordered a block on Bing,” said the report. In a statement given to The New York Times, The Microsoft said: “We’ve confirmed that Bing is currently inaccessible in China and are engaged to determine next steps”.
China internet regulator is yet to comment on the development. Microsoft, which recently overtook Apple as the world’s most valuable company, is the latest US tech giant to face difficulties in China. Google Search Engine is already inaccessible in China while Facebook-owned WhatsApp blocked in 2017.
