BEIJING, Oct. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNET) ("ChinaNet" or the "Company"), a leading B2B (business to business) Internet technology company providing online-to-offline (O2O) sales channel expansion services for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurial management and networking services for entrepreneurs in the People's Republic of China, announced today that ChinaNet met with members of the Synergos Institute Global Philanthropists Circle during their October 16-24, 2014 Learning Journey to China.
The Synergos Institute, founded by Peggy Dulaney in 1986, is a global nonprofit organization that works to solve complex problems of poverty and inequality by promoting and supporting collaboration. In 2001, Dulaney went on to co-found the Institute's Global Philanthropists Circle with her father, David Rockefeller. GPC Learning Journeys are intended to give members the opportunity to visit various countries and get an in-depth, first-hand look at development challenges and the philanthropic programs that address them.
ChinaNet COO George Chu says, "I'm delighted that ChinaNet has been chosen to meet with some of America's leading philanthropists and family offices. It's a great honor, and I'm grateful to Qinghua University, one of China's leading institutions of higher education, for introducing us. Since we serve both individuals and businesses at the grass roots level in China, we help individuals increase their incomes and small-to-medium sized companies and start-ups expand. We use technology to improve their financial circumstances, which contributes to China's economic growth. When small entrepreneurs begin to work for themselves, they contribute to society by hiring others. This creates a healthy business ecosystem for individuals and small businesses by leveraging Internet technology very much like an O2O version of Alibaba." Chu adds, "With our participation in these meetings, we will forge new relationships that we can leverage to duplicate our business model in other countries, especially developing countries, including India, Thailand and Malaysia. Our new connections will allow us to more effectively work with Chinese SMEs that want to expand internationally and reach the grass roots in new markets through the power of Internet advertising and marketing."
Seven other members and family funds of the Global Philanthropist's Circle also participated in the trip.
About the Synergos Institute
The Synergos Institute addresses global poverty and social injustice by working collaboratively to change the systems that keep people in poverty. Peggy Dulaney founded the Institute in 1986 to facilitate relationships between grassroots, political and business leaders, people who otherwise would not have access to each other, so that they could develop long-term relationships and forge new paths in overcoming poverty. Bringing together government, business, civil society and poor and marginalized communities, Synergos helps every segment of society work together to create sustainable systems change. The Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC), is a network of philanthropists and social investors who address poverty and social injustice around the world. www.synergos.org
About ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.
The Company, a parent company of ChinaNet Online Media Group Ltd., incorporated in the BVI ("ChinaNet"), is a leading digital B2B (business to business) Internet technology company focusing on providing O2O (online-to-offline) sales channel expansion service for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurial management and networking service for entrepreneurs in China. The Company, through certain contractual arrangements with operating companies in the PRC, provides Internet advertising and other services for Chinese SMEs via its portal websites, 28.com, Liansuo.com and Chuangye.com, TV commercials and program production via China-Net TV, and in-house LCD advertising on banking kiosks targeting Chinese banking patrons. Website: http://www.chinanet-online.com.
Safe Harbor
This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc., which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including business uncertainties relating to government regulation of our industry, market demand, reliance on key personnel, future capital requirements, competition in general and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on ChinaNet's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting ChinaNet will be those anticipated by ChinaNet. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. ChinaNet undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.