News Corp.’s popular social networking site MySpace.com launched its test version in China Friday.

MySpace China will be a Chinese-owned company with backing from the Beverly Hills-based Web site. However, no other specifics about control and finances were made available.

“Based on the MySpace global brand and technology platform, we will develop products and features that are tailored to today’s Chinese citizens,” Luo Chuan, a former Microsoft Corp. executive who is going to head the venture, said in a statement.

News Corp.’s Chairman Rupert Murdoch said last year that he was looking for a way to enter China. Murdoch is hoping that by having Chinese leadership of the venture he can sidestep the obstacles Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. encountered when entering the gigantic market.

Murdoch added that his wife, Wendi Deng, who was born in China, was playing a key role in launching the China-based service.

China has 137 million Internet users, behind only the United States.