"We're in discussions with the government about how we could offer a maps product in China," Google said in a statement on Thursday. The company would not elaborate on those discussions.

The U.S. search giant provided the comment as a passed in China. The Chinese government has instituted new rules, stating that all companies providing online maps must be granted a state license. Companies that did not meet the first deadline, March 31, will be exposed to the public, according to authorities.

Companies still without a license on the second deadline, July 1, will face prosecution from the Chinese government.

Google had previously said it was studying the new state rules on online mapping, with no mention of whether it would apply for the license.

China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping said in an e-mail that as of March 28, it had not received an application from Google to apply for the required license. The bureau has not responded to further questions about what potential penalties Google could face if it operated without a license.