Google parent Alphabet may open units to China: Report

Google parent Alphabet may do business in China following the reorganisation of the technology giant, co-founder Sergey Brin has said. Brin, who is president of Alphabet, told the Wall Street Journal yesterday that the new organisational structure would allow each unit autonomy on the matter. "Each Alphabet business can make its own decisions on which countries to operate in," Brin was quoted as saying.

"We already do quite a lot of business in China, although it has not been an easy country for us." Google ended most operations in China in 2010 in a dispute over censorship and an attack on Gmail users. It does sell ads to businesses in China, but Google services are not officially available in the country. Earlier this month, Google bought a stake in Chinese artificial intelligence startup Mobvoi which is aiming to develop smart wearable technologies.

The two firms previously announced an agreement earlier this year to bring the Google Android Wear operating system to China. Google in August announced its plan to reshape under the newly formed parent company. The move gives the tech giant more ability to focus on its core business, while offering startup-like flexibility to long-shot, trailblazing projects.

Alphabet will be the corporate parent, overseeing the Google unit for search and a handful of other operating firms created for projects in health, Internet delivery, investment and research.