(18 December 2006 11:30 pm)

MUMBAI: The world's most valuable media firm Google is competing with rival Baidu.com to find China’s answer to global online video social site YouTube.

Both the companies are looking to develop online video services in China.

Media reports indicate that the two firms have independently had early discussions with some local video Web sites for potential business cooperation or possible acquisitions.

However, neither Internet giant has secured a specific target yet.

Google has two options. It could just translate its YouTube site into Chinese or build up a brand new 'YouTube China', possibly through the acquisition of a local video-sharing Web site.