Chinese internet firm to launch blogs

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's Internet search leader Baidu.com Inc. plans to launch a new service, Baidu Space, which Chinese media said would offer web logs like those from Microsoft and Google. "There's a product named Baidu Space," Cynthia He, a spokeswoman for Baidu, said on Wednesday.

"I can't describe the product or give a date (for the launch), except that it will be very soon and we are very excited. But we'd like to keep a little mystery for now." Chinese media reported the service would offer web logs, often known as "blogs", making Baidu the latest player to jump on the domestic blogging bandwagon.

Global giants Microsoft, Google and Yahoo Inc. already offer blogging services in China, in a crowded sector also populated by a bevy of homegrown players with names such as Bokee.com, Blogbus.com and BlogCN.com.

The number of bloggers in China is expected to hit 60 million by the end of this year and 100 million by 2007, according to a recent Xinhua article, citing a media industry report done by prestigious Tsinghua University.

China is the world's second biggest Internet market by users, with more than 100 million netizens. Despite heavy investment in the blogging sector, however, none of the country's service providers are now profitable, according to the Xinhua report.

Picture is representational