Microsoft launched MSN China, a Chinese-language web portal, to tap deeper into the world’s second-largest internet market.
The portal will be run through Shanghai MSN, a joint venture Microsoft established with government-operated Chinese firm Shanghai Alliance.
Microsoft has said the portal will offer more communication, information and content than available through the MSN services, such as Hotmail and Messenger, it already runs in China.
Yahoo and Google have already opened Chinese sites and established positions in the market. Microsoft’s late entry, coupled with its strategy of working with relatively unknown partners, means it could face a tough time gaining traction, an analyst said.
