Beijing, CHINA, September 3, 2001 - SOHU.COM (NASDAQ: SOHU), China's leading online media, communications and commerce company today announced its new generation 'Lightning Free-Email' service continues to build momentum with over 1 million subscribers signing up for new email accounts since the product was introduced on August 17.

Having substantially upgraded its technology, SOHU now offers email services with significantly faster speeds, more stability, and a wider range of personalized information management tools, for free.

"We have substantially upgraded our free-email service as a proactive strategy to further expand our market share, establish greater brand awareness in the minds of Chinese Internet users and reward the loyalty of SOHU subscribers," said Charles Zhang, CEO, President and Chairman of SOHU.COM.

"The recent 'explosion' in new email subscriptions is laying the foundation for a solid permission-based marketing platform that will give advertisers access to precisely profiled demographics that have agreed to receive personalized promotional material from our clients," further explained Charles Zhang. "Why dilute great brand equity when more profitable ways of monetizing our enormous user base are available?"

"In addition to monetizing our huge email subscriber base, SOHU has also successfully launched a range of other value-added subscription services including SMS, domain name registration and web directory listings." said Victor Koo, COO of SOHU.COM.

Tricon's Kentucky Fried Chicken has linked its online branding campaign to SOHU's new email launch, offering to give away thousands of prizes to new SOHU email subscribers.

The 'Search Fox' is consistently ranked the No.1 web property according to iamasia surveys. This means that more Internet users in China go to the SOHU websites more than any other Mainland portals.

About SOHU.com
SOHU.com is the leading Internet portal in Mainland China with current daily page views exceeding 12 million. It provides navigation/search, news, sports, business and finance, real estate channel, entertainment, chat, email and e-commerce activities for a solid and wide base of visitors. Dr. Charles Zhang founded SOHU.com in 1997. Its investors include Intel, Dow Jones, IDG, the Morningside China Group, PCCW, Legend and Hikari. Its content partners include CNET, DOW Jones and dozens of local media organizations in China.

For further information:
Dahlia Wei
SOHU Investor Relations and Communications
Tel: +86 10 6272 6598
E-mail: ir@sohu-inc.com
http://www.sohu.com/about/English/