China's most influential English news and information source website, chinadaily.com.cn, and China's leading online media company, e-business and wireless value-added service provider SOHU formally announced the launch of "China Daily-Sohu English" (http://english.sohu.com ), a website jointly established by the two parties in Beijing on September 16.

Zhang Ping, president of Chinadaily.com.cn, speaks at the launch ceremony of China Daily-Sohu English website in Beijing September 16, 2004. [newsphoto]

China Daily-Sohu English is the first English Web platform that is co-built by the country's key media website (Chinadaily.com.cn) and commercial portal (Sohu.com ). As a symbol of the further international development of the Chinese Internet industry, the English platform could help people home and abroad get a better understanding of China, enlarge the popularity and influence of chinadaily.com.cn, and impel SOHU to grow into the largest bilingual portal in China. Both the China Daily Website and SOHU said to the media that the co-establishment of the new English platform would create a win-win situation for both sides.

Targeted at English readers both in and outside of China, China Daily-Sohu English features domestic and world news, and economic news, as well as sports, life and entertainment information in English. The website also provides English lovers with English study materials and services, as it aims at establishing the largest English forum in China.

Zhang Ping, president of Chinadaily.com.cn, Liu Zhengrong, deputy director of the Internet Affairs Bureau of the State Council Information Office, and Charles Zhang, CEO and president of Sohu.com (from right) attend the launching ceremony of China Daily-Sohu English website in Beijing on September 16, 2004. [newsphoto]

"China's economic development and the 2008 Beijing Olympics have created huge opportunities for the country. The world is more eager than ever to look into China, while China is also embracing the world with a more open heart. China Daily-Sohu English is a preemptive attempt for media websites and commercial websites to integrate their superior resources to introduce China to the world," said Zhang Ping, the CEO of China Daily Website in the press conference.

"Big cities in China are walking into a bilingual time, which greatly boosts the domestic demands of bilingual information. The website co-built by SOHU and China Daily Website aims at offering more timely information, original insights and better services to those bilingual readers home and abroad," he added. 

Charles Zhang, the Founder, CEO & President of Sohu.com said: "As the connection between China and the rest of the world becomes closer and closer, it is incumbent on SOHU to shoulder the obligation of introducing China to the world, and there is no shirking the responsibility for any Chinese."

According to Charles Zhang, as more and more international Internet companies are entering the field of Chinese communications, SOHU must proactively participate in the competitive Internet market worldwide.

"The cooperation between SOHU and chinadaily.com.cn will blaze a way in the new platform and business mode, and I have strong confidence and high expectation on the bright future of the English website," he said. 

Zhao Qizheng, minister of the State Council Information Office, sent a congratulatory letter to China Daily-Sohu English, in which he said that the co-establishment of the English platform by the two heads proves that introducing China to the world is very meaningful work.

More than 150 people attended the ceremony on September 16, including officials from the State Council Information Office and foreign embassies, principals of the country's key media and commercial websites, and renowned experts and specialists, as well as representatives of big international corporations.

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