Chinese search engine Baidu has announced it will begin offering an online music streaming service, reports Variety.

The service is the result of a partnership between Baidu and Chinese record label Rock Music Group. The label will license - at no charge - music from some of its artists. The partnership will split revenue from ads surrounding the music.

Baidu is the leading search engine in China. It was cleared last year of charges that it facilitated the illegal downloading of music, charges brought by a number of music companies.