CHINA confirmed yesterday it has renewed Google's license to operate in the fast-growing computer market.

An official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which regulates Internet operations in China, said the government had approved the license for Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co Ltd, the operator of Google's China website.

Officials at Google's US-based headquarters announced last Friday that the company had received approval for another year.

The ministry official said the result of its annual checkup on Google was "Approved after Rectification."

Guxiang submitted an application letter to the ministry on June 29 to renew Google's Internet Content Provider license, a permit to run websites in China.

In the application letter, Guxiang pledged to "abide by Chinese law," and "ensure the company provides no law-breaking content as stipulated in the 57th statement in China's regulations concerning telecommunications."

The statement says that any organization or individual is prohibited from using the Internet to spread any content that attempts to subvert state power, undermine national security, infringe on national reputation and interests, or that incites ethnic hatred and secession, transmits pornography or violence.

Guxiang also accepted that all content it provides is subject to supervision of government regulators, said the official.

"After our assessment, we decided that Guxiang had basically met the requirements, " the official said.

The official also said the country will stick to the opening-up policy and welcome foreign investments in China, but the government will follow the principle of law-based management.