MySpace launched in China

Beijing - MySpace announced its launch in China Thursday, following months of speculation about the Rupert Murdoch-controlled social networking site's plans for the nation's 137 million Internet users.

MySpace China introduced itself as a "locally owned, operated and managed company" in which News Corp-owned Myspace Inc was only one among several investors.

"Based on the MySpaced global brand and technology platform, we will develop products and features that are tailored to today's Chinese citizens," said MySpace China CEO Luo Chuan, a former Microsoft executive.

Other investors include International Data Group and China Broadband Capital Partners, the investment company of former China Netcom Group Corp chief executive Edward Tian.

Luo declined at a briefing to give specific details about the size of the investment or the share that MySpace Inc accounts for.

The MySpace China community is still in its test stage, adapted from the US version, but will gradually be developed to meet the needs of Chinese users, the company said.

Negotiations have been in progress since News Corp chairman Murdoch announced last October that he would bring MySpace to China, according to earlier reports.

Agence France Presse