Beijing reminded foreign companies to keep within Chinese law during an investigation on the world's largest Internet search engine, Google, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said on Thursday.
"Companies that conduct business in a foreign country should respect local laws," Jiang said responding to a question about media reports that Google-linked companies have breached tax laws.
She also noted that the Foreign Ministry is not the competent authority on this particular matter.
According to media reports, a number of undisclosed companies are suspected in using invalid payment documents and in tax fraud of more than $6 million.
According to Xinhua News Agency, a similar investigation was launched against Google. In October 2007, two Google-affiliated companies registered in Beijing were investigated for tax evasion.
Internet censorship in China is one of the strictest in the world. Last year, China blocked Youtube on its territory. In March, Google decided to close its Internet search service based in inland China over censorship concerns and will direct Chinese users to a Hong Kong-based uncensored version of its search engine.
BEIJING, March 31 (RIA Novosti)
