Executive who led Google's China expansion resignation

The executive who guided the expansion of Google Inc. in China after leaving Microsoft is leaving Google to start their own business, said Friday the U.S. company of the Internet.

Kai-Fu Lee will resign as president of Google Greater China in mid-September, the company said, adding that the executive will establish a new firm in Beijing, but did not elaborate.

Lee was hired by Google in 2004 and oversaw the development of services to help the internet giant to expand its Chinese market share, which is dominated by the local company Baidu Inc.

Google increased its market share, but still lags behind Baidu, which has 61.6% of internet traffic in China, while the U.S. company has 29.1, according to Analysys International, a firm technology research.

Google said Boon-Lock Yeo, director of engineering office in Shanghai, will assume technical responsibilities of Lee, while John Liu, head of the sales team of Greater China, will take their business and operational responsibilities.

Lee worked for Microsoft from 2000 to 2004 and helped design its MSN search technology, including software from rival Google. He left the company to head Google's operations in Chgina after receiving a compensation package of $ 10 million.