Microsoft and China.com Look to Team up

From AsiaMedia:

"Microsoft Corp was exploring a deal with China.com to integrate its MSN Messenger service into the mainland portal, sources said yesterday.

The news comes after Microsoft this week announced plans to form an alliance with China.com's sister company, CDC Software, to jointly market CDC's products on the mainland.
Both CDC Software and China.com are subsidiaries of Nasdaq-listed CDC Corp.

A potential hook-up with China.com portal marks the latest attempt by Microsoft to establish itself in the mainland instant messaging market.
MSN accounts for just over 14 per cent of the market, which is dominated by Tencent Holdings' QQ service with about 77 per cent, according to internet research firm IResearch."