eLong, Inc., one of China's online travel service providers, announced today the appointment of Derek Palaschuk as Chief Financial Officer and Richard Xue as Vice President Strategy and Business Development. Richard Xue, who has also been appointed to the eLong Board of Directors, has worked for eight years in the investment banking industry in the U.S. and China.

Most recently, Mr. Xue was a Vice President at ICEA Finance Holdings, a Hong Kong based investment banking firm specialized in serving PRC companies. Before that, he held various positions at Dain Raushcer Wessels in San Francisco, First Chicago Capital Markets Inc. in Chicago, and Tokai Asia in Hong Kong.

Derek Palaschuk, a Canadian Chartered Accountant, worked with Sohu.com Inc. for the past 4 years in senior financial positions including Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President. Prior to joining Sohu, Mr. Palaschuk who has been in China since 1994, held Chief Financial Officer positions with other companies based in China and has served as an audit manager with Price Waterhouse Coopers Hong Kong and Beijing offices.