ChinaNet Online Holdings and Baidu Announce Service Partner Agreement

BEIJING, March 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET) ("ChinaNet" or the "Company"), a leading B2B (business to business) Internet technology company 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, announced today it has entered a service partner agreement with Baidu, Inc., the leading Chinese language online search provider, to cross-sell branded services and products in conjunction with the Company's "Business Direct 3.0" and Baidu's Baidu Direct Reach.

The service partner agreement, with power of attorney authorized by Baidu, allows ChinaNet to resell any related Baidu Direct Reach service with the Baidu name and conversely allows Baidu to leverage the ChinaNet brand and Business Direct 3.0 name, products and services. ChinaNet will now be positioned within Baidu's service provider ecosystem of internet and mobile products.

ChinaNet will utilize the agreement with its Business Direct 3.0, a technically marked-up service based on the Baidu Direct Reach mobile platform for traditional service enterprises, which is centered on mobile search, accounts, maps, personalized recommendations and other ways for customers to direct Reach Marketing services.

"The service partner agreement with Baidu signifies the quick success of Business Direct 3.0 launched earlier this year in cooperation with Baidu Direct Reach of Baidu," said George Chu, Chief Operating Officer of ChinaNet Online Holdings. "We have demonstrated our ability to introduce a compelling new service with Baidu, and have earned their trust to use their brand name. Additionally, our influence on the SME industry with franchises and chain stores will create opportunities for Baidu to leverage the ChinaNet brand. We believe this is another step forward in our two company's increasing levels of cooperation."

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language online search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information and connect users with services. In addition to serving individual online search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for business to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs trade on NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU".

About ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.

The Company, a parent company of ChinaNet Online Media Group Ltd., incorporated in the BVI ("ChinaNet"), is a leading digital B2B (business to business) Internet technology company focusing on providing O2O 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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