Believe in China: Searching for Baidu

Author: Liang Dong, Mai Zi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Underdeveloped information has left developing China lacking a moral check, causing many to resort to any means to achieve their desires. However, the internet may offer a solution. Just as the Lewinsky and Clinton "Zipper Gate" scandal was initially spread online, Chinese netizens have exposed issues like the "BMW Hit-and-Run Case" and "Academic Corruption Cases." As more people engage in immoral acts, the cost of doing so increases, forcing them to become more cautious. This is just one of the social impacts brought about by information dissemination. In fact, we often receive calls requesting the deletion of certain web snapshots. Some powerful individuals may attempt to shut down websites, unaware that the internet still preserves such content, and that Baidu continues to make it easily accessible. At Baidu, I found myself doing similar work to what I did at Phoenix back then—that is, exploring the process of globalization and the revival of Chinese culture. We continuously engage in various forms of media production, news reporting, and Chinese information searches to find a path for the development of Chinese civilization and to demonstrate to the world how Chinese culture can thrive globally. Every Chinese person can then confidently and proudly show the world the beauty and charm of Chinese culture. However, Phoenix and Baidu are two companies with different styles—one resounds with vigor, while the other remains steadfast and composed. This difference stems from their distinct media characteristics. But it is because both Liu Changle and Robin Li believed in what the times expected every Chinese person to do, and they truly believed in China, that they achieved success in their respective fields. In January 2006, on the occasion of Baidu's sixth anniversary, the company invested approximately 92.4 million yuan to purchase a 44,000-square-meter plot of land in the Shangdi Information Industry Base in Haidian District, Beijing, to build Baidu's Information Technology Center. Baidu believes in China, so Baidu is rooted in China.