BEIJING, April 21, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChinaNet Online Holdings,
Inc. ("ChinaNet"), (Nasdaq:CNET), a leading full-service B2B media
development, and internet technology company for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in the People's Republic of China, today announced
that it plans to introduce several additional value-added features and
services to its core advertising and services platform. The Company
expects these expanded service offerings to drive new client additions
while increasing the average revenue among existing users.

A chart showing ChinaNet's full service platform is available at
http://media.globenewswire.com/cache/13300/file/10382.pdf

Management expects meaningful financial and strategic benefits from
these initiatives, including:


  --  Expanded services will reach a larger base of prospective customers;
  --  Generate higher revenues per user by selling a broader base of
      management tools and services;
  --  Create a pipeline of franchise owners and entrepreneurs;
  --  Increase customer retention and loyalty by offering cloud-based services
      that are easy-to-use;
  --  Require low upfront investment;
  --  Provide high return on invested capital




1. Social Networking Services (SNS) Information Platform

The Company will launch one of the largest online communities for
entrepreneurs in China. Leveraging 28.com's existing individual
membership base of approximately 1.2 million and the Student
Entrepreneurship Fund, the multi-functional portal for entrepreneurs
will become a dedicated information gateway to connect potential
franchisees with others including stories of both success and failure.
Furthermore, this interactive information platform will allow thousands
of businessmen to share their franchise experiences with other
entrepreneurs and franchise owners while providing transparency into
the quality and integrity of each business opportunity.

2. Advertising and Marketing Platform

28.com will continue to be ChinaNet's core advertising and brand
management platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Traditionally, the Company's advertising business is the most robust
during the second and fourth quarters.

In addition, the Company plans to launch a new integrated advertising
offering with more advanced features for medium-large enterprises at
the end of April 2011. Established domestic and international franchise
owners with more than five years of operating history looking to expand
their franchise base in China will be able to advertise their
businesses and find ideal entrepreneurs in a targeted and
cost-effective way. ChinaNet will have a dedicated sales staff and
support team to service the comprehensive needs of each of these
medium-large enterprises. The Company will charge a premium to these
customers for its core advertising and brand management services.

3. Management Tools Platform

In an effort to streamline its existing management tools offering, as
well as introduce new services, the Company will establish a new
platform to focus exclusively on developing and integrating all
value-added services onto one platform. Four categories of services
will be offered through this new platform: point of sales, document
management, supply chain management, and online education.

All four cloud-based services offer an easy, safe and efficient way for
business owners to manage their daily operations. This solution solves
a big challenge for SMEs: the ability to track and store their business
transactions in a cost effective manner. With minimal upfront costs and
ongoing technical support, business owners can customize the services
they need -- all from one provider.

"We are taking a significant step forward in the Company's
transformation to become a leading online services and management
company," explained Mr. Handong Cheng, Chairman and CEO of ChinaNet.
"By building four scalable platforms that are capable of delivering
multiple services to clients of all sizes, we will become a one-stop
shop for SMEs and entrepreneurs in China. We expect these services to
generate meaningful revenues starting in 2012."

4. Brand Management and Sales Channel Expansion (BMSCE) Platform

ChinaNet has steadily expanded its customer base to include
non-franchised SME sectors, including small and medium manufacturers in
Fujian and Zhejiang. The new service platform is intended to help these
SMEs expand their business and sales channels nationally by becoming a
franchisor. Through its existing advertising and marketing platform and
the addition of seasoned executives with 4A advertising experience,
ChinaNet offers brand management services such as brand analysis, brand
research, brand design and brand implementation. The new sales channel
expansion platform opens up an entirely new business opportunity that
will provide recurring revenues.

ChinaNet will establish a dedicated team of sales and business
development staff to help wholesale apparel and footwear manufacturers
establish a retail presence after evaluating their product portfolio.
The team will also help them identify attractive geographic expansion
opportunities, establish an advertising strategy, and package their
products. In addition, ChinaNet will provide advertising and marketing
services on 28.com, local TV and other media.

About ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.

The Company, a parent company of ChinaNet Online Media Group Ltd.,
incorporated in the BVI ("ChinaNet"), is a leading full-service B2B
media development, and internet technology company providing online
advertising, marketing and brand management solutions for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China. The Company, through certain
contractual arrangements with operating companies in the PRC, provides
Internet advertising and other services for Chinese SMEs via its portal
website 28.com, TV commercials and program production via China-Net TV,
and in-house LCD advertising on banking kiosks targeting Chinese
banking patrons. Website: http://www.chinanet-online.com

Safe Harbor

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to
the business of ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc., which can be identified
by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes,"
"expects," "anticipates," "estimates" or similar expressions. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, including business uncertainties relating to government
regulation of our industry, market demand, reliance on key personnel,
future capital requirements, competition in general and other factors
that may cause actual results to be materially different from those
described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in
greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on ChinaNet's
current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and
their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that
future developments affecting ChinaNet will be those anticipated by
ChinaNet. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks,
uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) or
other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be
materially different from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. ChinaNet undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be
required under applicable securities laws.


CONTACT: HC International, Inc.
         Ted Haberfield
         Tel:  +1-760-755-2716
         Email:  thaberfield@hcinternational.net