MII in China finishes investigation into Google license

China's Ministry of Information Industries (MII) has completed an investigation into Google Inc.'s usage of an Internet license that belongs to a Chinese company, a ministry spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

MII plans to announce the results of the investigation, but no date has been set. "We don't know when that will happen," the spokesman said.

Google's recently launched Google.cn search engine, which has attracted criticism in the U.S. for censoring search results, has been using an Internet content provider license (ICP) that belongs to a Chinese company. That company has been using the same license for its own Web site, Ganji.com.

Sources familiar with Ganji.com said the company has a close business and financial relationship with Google.

Google's usage of the ICP owned by Ganji.com's parent company is not exceptional. Under existing regulations, foreign Internet companies cannot apply for ICP licenses, which are required for Web sites in China. As a result, foreign companies must partner with a local company, which can provide the license necessary for the foreign company's Web site.

Google executives were not immediately available to comment.