Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is planning to start off a sales office in China, a destination, which has of late became an important place for the social networking site. The company is looking to open the sales office within a year in order to cater to the local advertisers, who utilize its services for overseas customers, according to a Bloomberg report.
Sales Office In A Year
If the move goes according to the plan, then it will be the first time when Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) employees will be able to reach out to mainland China’s advertisers directly, even as its services are blocked in the region. Currently, the company services China from its Hong Kong office, which staffs 30-40 people. Facebook is in talks to lease space in the Fortune Financial Center, located in Beijing’s district, as per Bloomberg report. Facebook’s vice president of corporate development, Vaughan Smith agreed that the company is trying to extend support locally, but did not specify about the timeframe. The company is still in process to figure out if it will hire contractors or full time staff for its proposed sales office, as it will require an operating license.
Stiff Policies
Opening an office in China would be a significant milestone for Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), which up till now has been gradually building up its business in the region. While China remains a lucrative business destination for the foreign companies, but the country’s online censorship policies have hindered their growth. That could be referenced from the Facebook’s own experience, as it was blocked by the Chinese government back in 2009. eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY), Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) and LinkedIn Corp (NYSE:LNKD), are among others who have made just a little progress in the region. According to Shaun Rein, who is a managing director at China Market Research Group, the government is sensitive towards social instability and therefore sees a little hope that Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) could get access in the place anytime soon.
Despite of stiffness from Chinese government, Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has been able to develop several business strings in the region and pounced on every opportunity to supply ads to the exporters there.
