Hong Kong (CNN Business) Amazon is partially retreating from the world's biggest market for online shopping.

It will close its marketplace in China in the coming months, meaning Amazon customers in the country will no longer be able to buy goods from Chinese merchants.

Amazon AMZN did not explain why it was withdrawing its marketplace service, saying only it will instead focus on selling goods shipped from other countries into China.

"We are notifying sellers we will no longer operate a marketplace on Amazon.cn, and we will no longer be providing seller services on Amazon.cn effective July 18," the company said in a statement.

Alibaba BABA Amazon's platform competes for Chinese sellers with Tmall, owned by the country's e-commerce leader

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