Web search giant Google plans to build a research and development center in Shanghai, says PC World.  The goal for the company is to develop and expand its search business in China.

In the first quarter of this year, Google saw only 19 percent of China’s search market revenue, followed by Yahoo with 14 percent.  The leader in the search market is currently Baidu.com with 57 percent of the market according to Analysys International.  With the R&D center, Google is hoping to take over the lead in the search market in China.

Details have not yet been released on the research and development center, such as number of employees, cost of construction, or size of the center.  Though the details are scarce, the plans have been confirmed by Google China spokesperson, Marsha Wong.

Many competing search companies have had difficulties expanding and growing their business in the Chinese market, partly due to recent political difficulties involving search censorship and access from within the country.  Yahoo photo sharing service, Flickr, was just recently blocked in China.