Watch out, Skype. Tencent steps out from China.

Tencent's QQ all-time peak concurrent users is 75 million; four times Skype's. Live stats. By contrast, Skype dialtone reached 18 million concurrent users earlier this month.

QQIM is expanding from its Chinese base with its 990 million user accounts and 448 million monthly active IM users. IMQQ.com is QQ's new "global" portal for English speakers. At last report, China remains Skype's largest market.

Tencent just recruited Fons Tuinstra to moderate IMQQ's business section. He is one of the foremost Western journalists and social media experts living in China (blog, friendfeed, twitter, LinkedIn). Tuinstra operates the China Speakers Bureau, a thought leadership center for doing business in China.

Meanwhile, Tencent Holdings continues growth and profitability and a US$30.2 billion market capitalization (SEHK 700).

CORRECTION: Fons Tuinstra is not a Tencent employee.

tags: skype, chinaspeakersbureau, tencent, dialtone, statistics, qqim, imqq, china, fonstuinstra

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