Baidu Builds Fort Against 360 Search with Kingsoft Tie-up

Baidu the Chinese search engine reportedly has made a strategic investment into local antivirus software vendor KingSoft as a follow-up of the Baidu-Qihoo360 fight, though neither party confirmed the news yet.

The two was in talks long while ago when 360 just launched its own search offering to challenge Baidu, multiple sources implied. The tie-up between Baidu and Kingsoft is more of a strategic cooperation in a response to 360’s expansion rather than just money-wise investment.

Qihoo’s flagship product 360 Safe Guard ruled over local PC market, while Kingsoft, the long-established orthodox anti-virus software company also has its own approach to the Safe Guard. Baidu calls for a partner like Kingsoft to curb 360’s threat at least from the aspect of security.

Some industry insiders have suggested long ago that Baidu should invest into Sougou and/or Kingsoft to form a solid fort against Qihoo’s rivalry.

Baidu wasn’t the only one that looks to partnership in striking competitors. Qihoo recently held Google China’s hands. Though neither party revealed any details on the tie-up, the rumor still sent Qihoo’s stock to above 30 dollars per share.

Qihoo secretly made its own search advertising platform e.360.cn, a service resembles Baidu’s Phoenix Nest.

360 search advertising system