China renewed Google's internet licence after it pledged to obey censorship laws and stop automatically switching mainland users to its unfiltered Hong Kong site, an official said.

It was Beijing's first public comment on its decision to allow Google to continue operating a China website following a public clash over censorship. The company closed its China search engine in March but still offers music and other services in China.

Red flag ... the search giant has postponed the launch of a mobile phone in China. Credit:Reuters/Jason Lee

Google promised to "obey Chinese law" and avoid linking to material deemed a threat to national security or social stability, said Zhang Feng, director of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Telecoms Development Department, at a news conference.

Zhang also cited Google's planned "rectification and reform", apparently a reference to the US search giant's commitment in its June 29 renewal application to stop switching users automatically to its Hong Kong search site.