Its operator, internet giant Tencent, said Saturday it was "deeply sorry" WeChat had been blocked in Russia, adding it was in touch with authorities to resolve the issue. WeChat, which had 889 million global users by the end of 2016, was not properly registered with Russian regulators, Tencent said. A law passed in 2014 requires foreign messaging services, search engines and social networking sites to store the personal data of Russian users inside Russia. WeChat, known as Weixin in China, is more than just a messaging app. It offers payment, ride-hailing and other services and Tencent has ambitions to spread it far beyond its home country.

Source: The China Post May 07, 2017 00:00 UTC