LinkedIn shutters China site, calling environment 'challenging'

Microsoft-owned company to start job search app without social network functions

LinkedIn has more than 54 million users in China, making the country its third-largest user base after the U.S. and India. © Reuters

YIFAN YU, Nikkei staff writer

October 15, 2021 03:55 JST

PALO ALTO, U.S. -- LinkedIn will close down its professional networking site in China this year, the company announced Thursday, citing a "significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China."

The Microsoft-owned company said it plans to offer a standalone app called InJob for China that will focus solely on job seeking and not include social networking features such as original posts, comments and sharing.