Google Inc., one of the widely used search engines on the Internet, has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. retaliating the software maker’s legal action against Kai-Fu Lee and Google for breaking the confidentiality and non-compete agreement that Lee signed when he first joined Microsoft.

Microsoft filed the lawsuit early last week when Lee informed his senior officer of his decision to leave Microsoft to head Google’s soon-to-be-launched Chinese Research Center. At Microsoft, Lee was the Vice President responsible for developing speech recognization and other interactive technologies. He also had knowledge of Microsoft’s search technology, search strategies and business plans, which the software maker said would prove to be harmful to its MSN Search service should Lee disclosed the information to Google. Lee used to work in Silicon Valley at Apple Computer, Inc. before he joined Microsoft.

The world’s largest software maker also filed a lawsuit against Google for deliberately hiring Lee despite his contracts with Microsoft.

Late last week, Google asked the California court to throw out the case, as it attempted restriction of trade.

According to online reports, Microsoft has usually filed a lawsuit in Washington when California had overruled such agreements between a company and one of its employees. In Washington, however, Microsoft had better luck throughout history to work on such lawsuits, as they generally rule in favor of non-compete and confidentiality agreements.

In one of its statements last week, Google said it would rigorously defend its stance and support Lee against the lawsuit.