According to previous reports, Baidu CFO Shawn Wang was planned to announce details of a European expansion for China"s largest search engine at a London conference. Baidu.com has denied such claims saying there are no plans to expand into Europe. "Recent rumors alleging that Baidu.com is expanding into Europe are groundless," the company said in a brief statement released through its public-relations firm in Beijing.
While Baidu"s business is largely focused on China, where it dominates the search market, the company recently launched a Japanese search engine as a first, tentative foray into the international market. That site remains blocked in China. Baidu officials have said they expect to spend $15 million on the company"s Japanese site this year.