Since Qihoo 360 Technology Co, the maker of a popular anti-virus software program, launched its own search engine on August 16, followers of the local IT industry have been largely divided about what this development may mean for Baidu. While Qihoo was able to snatch up an impressive chunk of the domestic Internet search market - perhaps as much as 10 percent according to some reports - in just its first week of operation, many pundits and experts have downplayed the threat this newcomer poses to Baidu.

Yet, if there is one Chinese tech firm that is in a position to challenge Baidu for control of the search local market, certainly it is Qihoo.

For one thing, Qihoo's search engine is making its debut just as Baidu's appeal is starting to wane. After years of commanding a top spot in China's Internet industry, it appears that Baidu has taken to resting on its laurels lately and is not as competitive or attractive as it once was. Many local Internet users now claim that its searches either produce results unrelated to the keywords or are too commercially oriented. And as dissatisfaction mounts, Qihoo is arriving in time to offer users an alternative to Baidu.

Also, with many of China's most popular websites - including social media services such as Sina Weibo and online shopping sites like taobao.com - largely walled off to search engines, Internet users have dropped the "one stop shop" mentality that once forced them to rely on Baidu as the hub which directed all of their online activity. And, as Internet users expand their horizons, they are also showing a willingness to give other search engines a try. For example, sogou.com has largely been enjoying success since Google withdrew from the mainland market in 2009.

But unlike Sogou, Qihoo is highly regarded for its strong background in innovation and has developed a huge following in China over the years with its widely used software products. In addition to its ubiquitous anti-virus program, Qihoo's web browsers are used by more than half of China's Internet users. These browsers now are directed by default to the company's own search engine, giving Qihoo a huge boost right off the bat in terms of exposure.

Finally, even though Qihoo is seen by many as relatively inexperienced when it comes to developing search engines, actually Zhou Hongyi, the company's founder, launched China's first locally made search engine roughly a decade ago and then sold it to Yahoo in 2003 for $20 million. Given Zhou's own extensive experience alone in this area, it's probably safe to assume that Qihoo's search engine can stand its ground in terms of quality and technological prowess against other rival engines - even Baidu's.

The author is an economic commentator. gooooo@gmail.com