American social media company Yahoo is closing down its operations and research center in Beijing, its only location in the country. Hundreds of staff are expected to be laid off.

The San Francisco-based techcrunch.com website quoted Yahoo as saying in a statement: “We are constantly making changes to align resources, and to foster better collaboration and innovation across our business. Today we informed our employees based in Beijing that we will be closing our office there.” Alibaba manages Yahoo’s operations in China, but the Beijing office was notable for being Yahoo-controlled.

Yahoo was also quoted as saying, “We will be consolidating certain functions into fewer offices, including to our headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, U.S. Our impacted employees will be treated with respect and fairness through this transition.” Last year, layoffs were made in India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, and subsequently Singapore. The company also downsized its presence in the Middle East.

With its many of its legacy services fading in popularity outside of the U.S., Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, is increasing the focus on the U.S., and cutting expenses from elsewhere.

Yahoo, techcrunch.com, operations and research centre, Alibaba, China, downsizing