Caught in China's web

Charles Zhang and Heidi Hsueh face the same dilemma as they seek to expand internet businesses in Ch...

Charles Zhang and Heidi Hsueh face the same dilemma as they seek to expand internet businesses in China - they have no idea who's out there. Hsueh, vice president of pAsia Inc, an internet auctioneer, reckons China has no more than about six million online users - one-third less than the government's nine million estimate. For Zhang, chief executive of Sohu.com Inc., a web portal with one million users, the true figure is anywhere between five and 10 million. Undaunted, dozens of companies, including the likes of Intel Corp., have invested in China's fledgling internet industry on a bet t...