SINA, China's largest news portal, is reported to have entered into a strategic partnership with MSN China, according to the Economic Observer.

The collaboration between Sina and Windows Live Messenger, Microsoft's instant messaging service, will include Sina's Twitter-like microblog service, blog and instant messaging as well as portal news service, an unidentified source close to Sina said as reported by the Economic Observer yesterday.

The source said the partnership does not involve injection of capital, adding that an official statement will be issued tomorrow. Market watchers said the collaboration of MSN China and Sina will strengthen the two partners and they will also benefit from the recent dispute between anti-virus software firm Qihoo 360 and Tencent QQ.

MSN Messenger with a 4.34 percent share trails Tencent QQ which boasts a 76.4 percent share in the Chinese mainland's instant messaging market by the end of the third quarter, consulting firm Analysys International said. By the end of September Tencent QQ's active accounts rose to 655 million from 405 million at the start of 2009.