安全港规则(Safe Harbor Rule)是美国证券法中的一项免责规定。这一规定的目的是鼓励公司向公众披露更多的信息,特别是关于未来预测和业务前景的信息。在这个规则下,公司对于某些前瞻性陈述(如预测、预期、计划等)在一定条件下可以免于法律追责。
安全港规则适用的条件包括:
陈述的内容:前瞻性陈述必须包含在规定范围内,例如业务计划、经济环境分析、预期收益等。
信息的披露:公司需要确保这些前瞻性陈述的披露是充分、准确、及时的,并且在公开文件中明确标注了这些信息为前瞻性陈述。
公司的诚信:公司必须以诚实和信用的方式进行前瞻性陈述,不能存在欺诈、恶意或其他不当行为。
风险提示:公司需要提供与前瞻性陈述相关的风险提示,以便投资者了解可能的风险。
当公司符合上述条件时,即使前瞻性陈述最终被证明是错误的,公司也可以在一定程度上免于因此产生的法律责任。然而,这并不意味着公司可以随意发布不实信息,如果公司在发布前瞻性陈述时存在欺诈行为或其他不当行为,安全港规则将不适用。
安全港声明
本公告包含前瞻性声明。这些声明是根据美国1995年《私人证券诉讼改革法案》的“安全港”规定发布的。这些前瞻性声明可以通过“将”、“预计”、“预测”、“未来”、“打算”、“计划”、“相信”、“估计”、“自信”等术语来识别。百度和其他方的战略和运营计划包含前瞻性声明。百度还可能在其向美国证券交易委员会提交的定期报告、在香港联合交易所(“香港联交所”)网站上发布的公告、在其股东年度报告、新闻稿和其他书面材料以及其高管、董事或员工向第三方作出的口头声明中进行书面或口头的前瞻性声明。不是历史事实的声明,包括但不限于百度的信仰和期望,均为前瞻性声明。前瞻性声明涉及固有的风险和不确定性。许多因素可能导致实际结果与任何前瞻性声明所包含的结果有实质性的差异,包括但不限于以下因素:百度的增长战略,其未来业务发展,包括新产品和服务的开发;其吸引和保留用户和客户的能力;中国互联网搜索和新闻推送市场的竞争;争夺在线营销客户;公司收入和某些成本或费用项占其收入的比例的变化;百度及/其子公司和合并关联实体的流动性状况及其履行付款义务的能力;正在进行或未来任何诉讼或仲裁的结果,包括与知识产权有关的诉讼;中国语言互联网搜索和新闻推送市场的预期增长以及中国互联网和宽带用户的数量;中国政府有关互联网和互联网搜索提供商的政策以及中国和其他地区的经济状况。有关这些和其他风险的更多信息,请参阅公司的20-F表格和向证券交易委员会提交的其他文件。百度除遵守适用法律外,不承担更新任何前瞻性声明的任何义务。本公告提供的所有信息截至本公告日期,并且百度不承担更新此类信息的责任,除非根据适用法律要求。
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward- looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, Baidu’s and other parties’ strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “ Hong Kong Stock Exchange ”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Baidu’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Baidu’s growth strategies; its future business development, including development of new products and services; its ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese Internet search and newsfeed market; competition for online marketing customers; changes in the Company’s revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of its revenues; the liquidity condition of Baidu and/its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities and their respective ability to fulfill payment obligations when due; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese-language Internet search and newsfeed market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers, and general economic conditions in China and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Baidu does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this announcement is as of the date of this announcement, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required
under applicable law.