Evidence shows that Google is getting closer to shutting down its strictly monitored search engine in China. Though Google declared it was no longer willing to self-censor in China on January this year. Google advertisers in China are being advised to switch over to rival Baidu Inc., out of fears that Google could abandon the country.

Following a targeted cyber attack on Gmail accounts originated from China in December. Primary investigation showed the attackers' primary goal was to access Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists. Google announced on Jan. that, it intended to give all of its users open access to the Internet or it may leave china. Since then Google is trying to negotiate with Chinese government. Such move to give open access to the Internet in china would clash with China's censorship laws. Those laws forbid access to Internet sites that criticize the government, display pornography or promote certain religious material.

A spokeswoman for Google declined to comment about the negotiations. She said, “We have always said we intend to stop censoring, and we will be making changes soon. We are not detailing our plans at the moment. We will have an announcement soon, as in weeks not months”

China is home to one of the fastest-growing Internet-using populations. Many American Internet companies including Google have agreed to the government's censorship laws in order to take advantage of the Chinese market's enormous growth potential. But the December attacks changed Google's stance about operating in the country. Investors are closely observing the situation. With the declare to leave china shares of Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) fell 3% in morning trading, as shares of rival Baidu (BIDU) soared 7%. China is one of the few countries in which Google does not dominate the search market: Google controls only about one-third of the Internet search market in China, where Baidu controls 64%, according to data from Analysys International.

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