WeChat getting rid of barriers to external links

Move seen as a further step to tear down walls among internet giants

WeChat, the popular messaging app of Tencent Holdings Ltd, is allowing users to directly access external links in one-on-one chats, the latest answer to Beijing's call to end monopoly and enhance connectivity among internet companies.

In a social media post on Monday, WeChat said it is also water-testing e-commerce links from external sites to be accessible in group chats, which will go into effect successively, the company said.

In a major revamp announced in September, WeChat had enabled users to open external links in one-on-one chats, but users need to go through a redirecting page prior to their destination portals. This current upgrade scrapped the landing page.