Alibaba.com and Vietnam Industry and Trade Information Center tie up to promote e-commerce

Hangzhou, June 2, 2009 - Alibaba.com, the global leader in B2B e-commerce, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnam Industry and Trade Information Center ("VITIC"), part of the Vietnam government's Ministry of Industry and Trade, to promote the development of e-commerce and to facilitate international trade for Vietnamese small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

Under the terms of the MOU, Alibaba.com will advise VITIC in the development of its e-commerce project and assist Vietnamese SMEs to learn about and participate in global trade.Suppliers from Vietnam will also be promoted on Alibaba.com's online marketplace to buyers around the world. The two organizations will collaborate to bring Gold Supplier international edition, Alibaba.com's premium level paid membership product, to the Vietnam market and aim to implement a pilot sales program there this year.

"International buyers are looking beyond traditional export markets like China to source products and Vietnam is emerging as a popular base of low cost, good quality products," said Sabrina Peng, Vice President of Alibaba.com.Vietnam is already one of the top 10 garment exporters in the world and demand for Vietnamese footwear, seafood, coffee and furniture is on the rise.Alibaba.com has close to 100,000 members from Vietnam and we saw our registered users there jump by 140 percent in 2008.By cooperating with VITIC we can assist many more Vietnamese suppliers to move their business online and reap the benefits of global trade."

Vietnam's foreign trade has been growing fast since the early 90s and after a long process of integration with international markets, Vietnam entered the WTO in January 2007. In 2008, the total export volume of Vietnam reached US$62.9 billion with export growth averaging 20 percent over the last decade. Vietnam's principal exports in 2008 included crude oil (16.7 percent), textiles and garments (14.4 percent), footwear (4.7 percent) and fisheries products (4.6 percent) and its main export destinations are the United States, Japan, China, Europe, Australia and Singapore. China is rising in importance as a trading partner with Vietnam. In 2008, the total trade value between Vietnam and China reached US$19.5 billion, an increase of 29 percent compared to 2007. In the first quarter of 2009, the trade value between the two countries was US$3.8 billion, of which China exported US$2.8 billion to Vietnam and Vietnamese exports to China amounted to US$943 million.(Source: Vietnam Customs)  

Sabrina Peng, vice president of Alibaba.com and VITIC sign the MOU in Alibaba.com's Hangzhou office

Alibaba.com (HKSE: 1688) (HK.1688) is the global leader in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and the flagship company of Alibaba Group. Founded in 1999, Alibaba.com makes it easy for millions of buyers and suppliers around the world to do business online through three marketplaces: a global trade marketplace (www.alibaba.com) for importers and exporters, a Chinese marketplace (www.alibaba.com.cn) for domestic trade in China, and, through an associated company, a Japanese marketplace (www.alibaba.co.jp) facilitating trade to and from Japan. Together, its marketplaces form a community of 40 million registered users from over 240 countries and regions. Headquartered in Hangzhou, Alibaba.com has offices in more than 40 cities across Greater China as well as in Europe and the United States

About VITIC

Founded in 1989 Vietnam Industry and Information Center(VITIC) is a state agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), which specializes in providing economic, trade and industry information and serving the management needs of state organizations and the business community both domestic and international. VITIC has been assigned by MOIT to implement a project on the organization and implementation of e-commerce in One of the main objectives of the roject is to build an e-commerce transaction place which will help Vietnamese importers and exporters, especially small and medium enterprises, to easily and effectively access international markets, connect with reliable buyers and suppliers and conduct transactions online. VITIC is headquartered in Hanoi and has branches in Ho Chi Minh ity, DaNang City and other regions in Vietnam

For more information, please contact:

Christina Splinder

Alibaba.com

Tel: +852 2215-5130

Email: csplinder@alibaba-inc.com

Le Duc Linh (Mr.)

Vietnam Industry and Trade Information Center

Tel: +84 4 38262316

Email: ldlinh@vtic.vn