Baidu to Launch Instant Messaging Product

BEIJING, Feb. 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Baidu.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced its intention to launch an instant messaging (IM) service, called "Baidu Hi."

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041011/BAIDULOGO )

"We are very excited to enter the IM market in China," said Haoyu Shen, Baidu's vice president of business operations. "The Internet is playing an increasingly important role in people's lives in China, and we are constantly looking for ways to bring more convenience and functionality to our users. With Baidu's strengths in creating online communities, and with our suite of popular products such as Baidu Knows, Baidu Post Bar and Baidu Space, we are confident that Baidu Hi will become a strong competitor in China's IM market."

Research and development for Baidu Hi has been underway for almost one year. Baidu is currently in the process of recruiting additional personnel for the team dedicated to developing the product. All elements of Baidu Hi, including product design, research and testing, will be handled independently by Baidu. Internal testing for this product is currently underway.

About Baidu

Baidu.com, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share, are currently trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU."

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Baidu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of February 29, 2008, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

    For investor inquiries please contact:

     Linda Sun
     Baidu.com, Inc.
     Tel:   +86-10-8262-1188
     Email: sunyao@baidu.com

    For investor and media inquiries please contact:

    In China:
     Helen Plummer
     Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (Beijing)
     Tel:   +86-10-8520-3090
     Email: helen.plummer@ogilvy.com

    In the US:
     Thomas Smith
     Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (New York)
     Tel:   +1-212-880-5269
     Email: thomas.smith@ogilvypr.com

SOURCE  Baidu.com, Inc.
    -0-                02/29/2008
    /CONTACT:  Linda Sun of Baidu.com, Inc., +86-10-8262-1188, or
sunyao@baidu.com; or in China, Helen Plummer of Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide (Beijing), +86-10-8520-3090, or helen.plummer@ogilvy.com, or in the
US, Thomas Smith of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (New York), +1-212-880-
5269, or thomas.smith@ogilvypr.com, both for Baidu /
    /Photo:   http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041011/BAIDULOGO
              PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840/
    /Web site:  http://www.baidu.com /
    (BIDU)

CO:  Baidu.com, Inc
ST:  China
IN:  CPR ECM ITE MLM NET
SU:  ASI PDT






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3783 02/29/2008 06:32 EST http://www.prnewswire.com