(Photo : Facebook)

Speculations are ripe that Facebook could soon be expanding into China, where it is currently blocked by the government, following the visit of a high-ranking Facebook official into the country on Wednesday (China time).

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Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg's China visit immediately sent the social media's stocks to a new all-time high as observers believe Facebook will soon be opened to Chinese users.

But a Facebook spokeswoman, however, said Sandberg was in China not to plea for the Chinese government to unblock the world's most popular social media but to promote her book "Lean In".

Meeting China's Internet Censorship Head

Sandberg met Cai Mingzhao, the head of China's State Council Information Office. The said office oversees control of Internet in China.

A photo released by the Information Office showed Sandberg and Cai standing next to each other with a Chinese flag behind them.

And while the Facebook spokesman said Sandberg was in China to promote her book, a statement on the agency's website revealed that Sandberg met with Cai to discuss the important role Facebook plays in assisting Chinese companies planning to expand abroad.

Since 2009, Facebook has been permanently blocked in China due to what the giant social network described as substantial legal and regulatory complexities.

And while Facebook claimed that Sandberg's visit was merely to promote her book, it could be coincidental that she had a discussion with the head of China's internet censorship agency.

Investors Excited

The visit also made Facebook investors excited sending the stocks to a new all-time high of $44.78 a share on the most recent trading day.

One analyst said it was not a surprise that the visit can make Facebook's shares jump considering the vast potential that China's 600 million Internet users can offer to the social media network.

Several analysts, however, expressed skepticism over the rumored Facebook China opening. One analyst said the probability that the social media network giant will be unblocked in China is very slim.