While a number of Chinese technology companies provide a range of translation services, the Google Translate app has a large user base in the country. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday. Google told the American online news site that the app's pullback was 'due to low usage' on the mainland. The move to discontinue Google Translate's service in China was first reported by TechCrunch. The built-in translation function on Google's Chrome browser has also become unavailable in the country, according to various user posts on Chinese social media. They have been redirected to a generic search bar, with a notice asking users to bookmark the service's Hong Kong webpage, which is also inaccessible on the mainland. The app has been inaccessible to mainland Chinese users since Saturday.

HONG KONG: Google Translate, one of the few remaining consumer services that the US tech giant made available in mainland China, is no longer accessible in the country, marking the company's latest retreat from the world's largest internet market. A Google sign is seen during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Sept 17, 2018.