Redcore CEO admits ‘100pc China-developed browser’ is built on Google’s Chrome, says writing code from scratch would ‘take many years’

Redcore, which recently raised 250 million yuan (US$36 million) in funding, said on its website that its browser had ‘broken the American monopoly’

Sarah Daiin Beijing
Beijing-based Redcore has admitted that its China-made web browser was based on Google’s Chrome, following online accusations that the company had ripped off the US internet giant’s program. Photo: Reuters

A Beijing-based start-up that claimed to have developed an original China web browser has admitted it had based its software on Google’s Chrome, following online accusations that it had ripped off the American internet company’s program.

Redcore, which recently raised 250 million yuan (US$36 million) in funds, said on its website that its browser had “broken the American monopoly”. That claim was challenged after an online posting purporting to show the installer containing Chrome files went viral.

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