Baidu Map goes globe-trotting, seeking customers

Search engine giant Baidu Inc is gearing up to take its mapping services beyond borders with an ambitious goal to have 50 percent of its map users coming from outside of China by 2020.

The Beijing-based internet company said on Tuesday that it will launch Baidu Map in more than 150 countries and regions by the end 2016 with an initial plan to serve the navigation demand of China's more than 100 million outbound travelers.

"Then we will gradually launch mapping services in local languages and gain overseas users. The ultimate goal is to build Baidu Map into a truly globalized mapping service provider," said Li Dongmin, general manager of Baidu Map.