Sohu.com and e-commerce site 8848.net announced at a press conference January 17 that the two companies have reached an agreement to open the "Sohu.com-8848.net Shopping Plaza."

A spokesman for 8848.net said that the "first alliance of the millenium" by 8848.net and Sohu.com marks the start of a long term relationship between China's first "comprehensive portal and e-commerce website."

Since September of 1999, Sohu.com has set up an online shopping site but it's alliance with 8848.net is worth it. 8848.net is China's biggest e-commerce site.

The "Sohu.com-8848.netShopping Plaza" will officially go online January 17 and for the next three months have a series of online sales promotion activities.

Chinese e-commerce was a hot topic in 1999. As the Internet develops in China, the first steps in e-commerce are being taken as more and more Chinese Internet users understand and accept the consumption model of online shopping. In the latter half of 1999, all sorts of Chinese portals began to plan strategies to enter the e-commerce sector, while e-commerce sites sprouted up like bamboo shoots after the spring rain.