ChinaNet Online Holdings Subsidiary Liansuo.com Helps Host "2014 Franchise China 50" With Entrepreneur Magazine

BEIJING, Aug. 4, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET) (the "ChinaNet" or "Company"), a leading B2B (business to business) Internet technology company focusing on providing online-to-offline ("O2O") sales channel expansion services for small and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs") and entrepreneurial management and networking services for entrepreneurs in the People's Republic of China, today announced that its subsidiary, Liansuo.com ("Liansuo"), will collaborate with Entrepreneur Magazine to host the "2014 Franchise China 50" with Entrepreneur, a famous magazine and financial website, on August 5, 2014 at Beijing Grand Millennium Hotel. This conference will gather executives and management from premier franchise enterprises and investors across the country to share their experience and elect the 50 fastest growth enterprises.

Entrepreneur's Franchise 500® was first held by Entrepreneur Magazine in 1978, which is now celebrating its 37^th anniversary. It is the most reputable investment guidance in the franchise industry. The conference was introduced to China in 2008; this is 7^th year this conference has taken place. The primary objective of the conference is to identify franchise enterprises with high growth potential and introduce them to investors as well as franchisees. The election will be sponsored and monitored by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"We are very excited to organize this year's conference together with Entrepreneur Magazine," said George Chu, the Chief Operating Officer of ChinaNet. "This is a great platform for Liansuo.com to expand its notoriety in China franchise industry. Liansuo will also take this opportunity to introduce more ChinaNet clients such as ShenLinQiJing and Mendale to the market and investors."

Entrepreneur Magazine is a national business publication based in Irvine, California. For nearly 30 years, Entrepreneur Magazine has been the definitive guide to all the diverse challenges of business ownership. Published 12 times a year, the magazine is available by subscription and on newsstands in the United States and Canada. The conference is cooperating with Entrepreneur Magazine Chinese edition.

About ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.

The Company, a parent company of ChinaNet Online Media Group Ltd., incorporated in the BVI ("ChinaNet"), is a leading B2B (business to business) Internet technology company focusing on providing O2O (online to offline) sales channel expansion service for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurial management and networking service for entrepreneurs in China. The Company, through certain contractual arrangements with operating companies in the PRC, provides Internet advertising and other services for Chinese SMEs via its portal websites, 28.com, Liansuo.com and Chuangye.com, TV commercials and program production via China-Net TV, and in-house LCD advertising on banking kiosks targeting Chinese banking patrons. Website: http://www.chinanet-online.com.

Safe Harbor

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc., which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including business uncertainties relating to government regulation of our industry, market demand, reliance on key personnel, future capital requirements, competition in general and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on ChinaNet's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting ChinaNet will be those anticipated by ChinaNet. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. ChinaNet undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

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         Ted Haberfield, President

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