"Google's about 30 percent market share in search services on the mainland will be absorbed not only by search engine rivals but also companies doing other search-related businesses," said Li Zhi, a senior analyst with Analysys International, a leading Chinese Internet consulting company.
According to Analysys, Baidu occupies about 60 percent of the market share. Sohu's Sogou, Tencent's Soso and other new-comers including Microsoft's Bing were all eyeing Google's share of the market, analysts said.
Microsoft's Beijing office said in an email reply to Xinhua on Tuesday that the company regarded China as the most important online search service market.
"The pull-out is the price to pay for Google's move of politicizing commercial issues," Li Zhi said.
Sean Tzou, CEO of Trina Solar Limited, a U.S. joint venture based in Changzhou of Jiangsu Province, said the biggest challenge for many joint ventures in China was their willingness and ability to adapt to the local environment.
(Xinhua correspondents Gu Ye in Nanjing and Liu Baosen in Ji'nan contributed to the story.)
