Google hasn't decided whether to return to China with a search engine and other tools that will meet censors’ demands, but the internet giant already has built a fast-growing business there. Google saw a huge upsurge in revenue from China last year, powered by a wave of Chinese tech companies buying ads outside China to promote products like the TikTok video app and the Alipay mobile wallet.

Google’s revenue in Greater China, which includes mainland China as well as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, last year grew more than 60% to more than $3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The robust growth, which hasn’t previously been reported, has prompted Google to expand its ad sales team there, the people said.