Professional networking service LinkedIn has launched a beta or test version of its Chinese language site.
The firm said the move is aimed at offering a more localised service to its users in China.
It is expected to boost LinkedIn’s growth in China – where rival social networking firms such as Facebook and Twitter continue to remain blocked.
China is the world’s largest internet market with more than 500 million internet users.
LinkedIn said it is also creating a joint venture with Sequoia China and China Broadband Capital to “help connect more than 140 million Chinese professionals with each other and with our more than 277 million existing members globally”.
“Our mission is to connect the world’s professionals and create greater economic opportunity – and this is a significant step towards achieving that goal,” the firm said in a blogpost.
LinkedIn’s English language site has been available in China for over a decade.
It already has four million users in the country.
LinkedIn said the Chinese language site will incorporate features aimed at helping local users drive more value from the service.
It has integrated Sina Weibo, China’s largest Twitter-like service, into the platform that would allow members to import their Weibo contacts to their LinkedIn profile.
Members would also be allowed to link their LinkedIn account to their WeChat account, one of China’s most popular mobile messaging services.
LinkedIn said that despite being present in the country for such a long period it was still in a “start-up phase” in China.
“We believe that the experience of our local team, combined with the considerable market expertise of our joint venture partners, position us well to explore our growth options in China,” it said.
Source-BBC
