Last May Facebook launched a photo-sharing app in China, where its popular social networking services are currently banned.

China relaxes (a bit) on social media

According to The New York Times, Facebook quietly released a new app, specific to China, called Colorful Balloons, allowing friends and family to share photos amongst one and other.

Unique to Colorful Balloons is that the app does not interface with Facebook’s site, instead linking to China’s largest social network WeChat.

Since its ban back in July 2009, Facebook has been working on a new way to reach the enormous foreign market. Thanks to meetings with government officials and post-supressing-software by location, a middle ground has been reached.

700 million potential users

The launch was not designed to be cloak and dagger but rather an effort for Facebook to observe the sharing habits of Chinese users. The endeavour is meant to provided insight as to how Chinese developers and business can use Facebook’s ad platform.

Colorful Balloons has been designed to be similar to Facebook Memories, meaning it was never going to be the social platform global users have become accustomed to.

The new app marks an unprecedented venture into China’s strict social media regulations and possibly the first bridge to uniting with a very sizeable markets.

Are you excited by the announcement of Colorful Balloons? Do you think its about time? Give us your thoughts in our comments section below.