Tencent steps up China search fight with Google's aid

The new tool, seen as a move to defend QQ's market share in the face of rising competition in the internet space, allows users to search with its community services such as QQ Groups and Qzone, as well as offering standard search facilities. Said Dong Bo, Tencent's investor relations executive: "We will mainly focus on improving our user experience instead of advertising business." A Tencent official indicated, however, that the firm would look at ways to monetise the new service once enough people were using it. MindShare director Ralph Szeto said it was important for Tencent to diversify its offering, but it was unlikely that SoSo would challenge market leaders in its current form. "QQ is mass and still the strongest one, but is more for youngsters," Szeto said. Additional reporting by Interfax