According to Sohu.com's IT channel, the Chinese search engine giant Baidu.com will formally launch the professional edition of its new Internet search engine advertising program, Phoenix Nest, on April 20, 2009.

Two of China's biggest Internet travel service providers are using enhanced systems for their respective users to comment on hotels booked through them, and they are rating the hotels based on these comments.

According to local media, the Chinese Internet and communications technology company 263 Network Communication Co. Ltd. has bought a 50% stake in the U.S. telecommunications operator iTalk Global Communications, marking 263's entry into the North American VoIP market.

After speculation last week, Chinese portal website Sohu.com (SOHU) has now launched an official version of its Sogou Internet browser.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has announced plans to invest CNY300 million in the newly merged Yahoo (YAHOO) Koubei Company in 2009 to develop the lifestyle services business of the company.

Proving perhaps that Internet communities are local, and foreign interlopers have difficulty breaking into new markets, South Korea's largest social networking website Cyworld has announced its decision to withdraw from the Taiwanese market.

Shanda's (SNDA) business unit Shanda Games has made investments into Shanghai Wei Lai Information Technology Co. Ltd and Shanghai Cai Qu Network Technology Co. Ltd, under its "18 Plan".

China's Web 2.0 community website Tianya.cn has launched a lottery sales platform, on which users can buy lottery tickets and withdraw lottery prizes via the Internet.

Chinese video website Tudou.com announced at the product conference of its high-definition channel hd.tudou.com that the company made CNY11.296 million in the advertising sector in the first half of 2008 — much more than that of its competitor Youku.com but still an overall paltry amount in China's advertising sector.

Internet travel search website Qunar.com says the People's Court of Haidian District in Beijing has failed to come to a decision regarding the case filed by China's top travel website Ctrip.com (CTRP) in which Ctrip contends that Qunar willfully broke copyright regulations pertaining to Ctrip.

The international telecommunications equipment manufacturer Nokia Siemens Networks has confirmed that David Ho, chairman for Nokia Siemens Networks Greater China, formally departed from his position on October 31, 2008.

China's leading social networking services website Xiaonei.com has announced plans to open its Internet payment system application program interface, making it the first SNS website that has opened its payment system to third parties.

China's State Administration of Radio Film and Television has released a report on an audit of the Internet audio-visual services in China and it has ordered ten websites to suspend their online video and Internet music operations.

The Chinese portal NetEase.com (NTES) states that because of a revamping of the company's services, the Internet firm will suspend the operation of its chat rooms starting November 1, 2008.

Chinese search engine Baidu.com (BIDU) says its revenue, net income, and active online customers all increased as it reported its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008.