SINA.com
, a leading Internet media and services company for
Chinese communities worldwide, announced today that the Ministry of News under
the State Council in China has granted the company a license to publish online
news. 
This marks the first time in history that the Chinese government has
granted a news license to the country`s Internet industry, making SINA the
first private Internet company in China to receive official approval to
publish news on the web.
According to the latest Internet regulations published by the Chinese
government on November 7, 2000, all websites operating in China are required
to seek official government approval in order to publish news online.  These
regulations were among the first body of laws set forth by the Chinese
government to normalize Internet regulations in preparation for China`s entry
into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“We are very pleased and honored that the government of China has made
SINA the first private Internet company to receive a license for online news
publication,” said Mr. Wang Zhidong, President and CEO of SINA.  “We feel that
the granting of this license to SINA affirms our leading position and our
excellent standing with the government of China.  But most important, this
latest news license demonstrates the government`s commitment to China`s
Internet industry and recognition of the strong role that the private sector
will play in the Internet`s future development”.
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