China’s Crafty Qihoo Goes International

Alibaba Group may be the talk of Silicon Valley as it prepares for an IPO, but another Chinese Web giant is quietly putting down roots in the Bay Area as it looks to develop new products for Western markets.

Qihoo 360 Technology, the fourth-largest Chinese Web company by market value, recently dispatched its 38-year-old chief engineer, Shu Cao, to set up an office somewhere between Palo Alto and San Jose. He has begun to develop a network of contacts in Silicon Valley and will look for new technologies and products that the company, primarily known for anti-virus and Web browsing software in China, could invest in or develop on its own for the U.S., Europe and other markets.