Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-218972

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell the securities and is not soliciting offers to buy the securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 3, 2018

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement

(To Prospectus dated June 26, 2017)

Baidu, Inc.

US$             4.375% Notes due 2024

(to be consolidated and form a single series with the US$600,000,000 4.375%

Notes due 2024 issued on November 14, 2018)

We are offering US$             of our 4.375% notes due 2024 (the “New Notes”). The New Notes offered hereby shall constitute a further issuance of, and be fungible with and be consolidated and form a single series with, the US$600,000,000 4.375% Notes due 2024 issued by us on November 14, 2018 (the “Initial Notes,” and collectively with the New Notes, the “ Notes”). The New Notes will constitute additional Notes under the indenture dated as of November 28, 2012, as supplemented by the seventh supplemental indenture dated as of November 14, 2018, having the same terms and conditions as the Initial Notes in all respects (except for the issue date and the issue price). Upon completion of this offering, the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes will be US$                    .

The Notes will mature on May 14, 2024. Interest on the Notes will accrue from November 14, 2018 and be payable on May 14 and November 14 of each year, beginning on May 14, 2019.

We may at our option redeem the Notes at any time prior to April 14, 2024, in whole or in part, at a price equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount of the Notes and the make whole amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the redemption date. In addition, we may also redeem the Notes from or after April 14, 2024 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the redemption date. We may also redeem the Notes at any time upon the occurrence of certain tax events. Upon the occurrence of a triggering event, we must make an offer to repurchase all Notes outstanding at a purchase price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the date of repurchase. For a more detailed description of the Notes, see “Description of the Notes” in this prospectus supplement.

The Notes are our senior unsecured obligations and will rank senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future obligations expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes; rank at least equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsecured unsubordinated obligations (subject to any priority rights pursuant to applicable law); be effectively subordinated to all of our existing and future secured obligations, to the extent of the value of the assets serving as security therefor; and be structurally subordinated to all existing and future obligations and other liabilities of our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities.

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-14 for a discussion of certain risks that should be considered in connection with an investment in the New Notes.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the Notes or determined that this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Approval-in-principle has been received for the listing and quotation of the New Notes on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the “SGX-ST”). The SGX-ST assumes no responsibility for the correctness of any of the statements made, opinions expressed or reports contained herein. Approval in-principle for the listing and quotation of any New Notes on the SGX-ST is not to be taken as an indication of the merits of us, or any of our subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities or of the New Notes. Currently, there is no public trading market for the New Notes.

We expect to deliver the New Notes to investors through the book-entry delivery system of The Depository Trust Company and its direct participants, including Euroclear Bank SA/NV (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking S.A. (“Clearstream”), on or about                 , 2018. Purchasers of the New Notes should note that trading of the New Notes may be affected by this settlement date.

Joint Bookrunners

The date of this prospectus supplement is             , 2018.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

Prospectus

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference is accurate only as of each of their respective dates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

Section 309B(1) Notification—We have determined, and hereby notify all persons (including relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A(1) of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”))) that the Notes are prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document consists of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of Notes by us. The second part, the base prospectus, presents more general information about this offering. The base prospectus was included in the registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-218972) that we filed with the SEC on June 26, 2017, and has been updated since that time with additional information that is incorporated by reference. Generally, when we refer only to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both parts combined, and when we refer to the “accompanying prospectus,” we are referring to the base prospectus as updated through incorporation by reference.

If the description of the offering of the Notes varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

You should not consider any information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to be investment, legal, or tax advice. You should consult your own counsel, accountants, and other advisors for legal, tax, business, financial, and related advice regarding the purchase of any of the Notes offered by this prospectus supplement.

In this prospectus supplement, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our company,” “our,” “Baidu,” and “issuer” refer to Baidu, Inc., its subsidiaries and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial information, our consolidated affiliated entities in China; “China” and “PRC” refer to the People’s Republic of China and, solely for the purpose of this prospectus, exclude Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau; and all references to “RMB” and “Renminbi” are to the legal currency of China and all references to “U.S. dollars,” “US$,” “dollars,” and “$” are to the legal currency of the United States.

All discrepancies in any table between the amounts identified as total amounts and the sum of the amounts listed therein are due to rounding.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with the Exchange Act, we file annual reports and other information with the SEC. Information we file with the SEC can be obtained over the internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 or visit the SEC website for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room.

This prospectus supplement is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, relating to the securities to be offered. This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to Baidu, Inc. and the Notes, reference is hereby made to the registration statement and the prospectus contained therein. The registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, may be inspected on the SEC’s website or at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with or submit to the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents that are considered part of the accompanying prospectus. Information that we file with or submit to the SEC in the future and incorporate by reference will automatically update and supersede the previously filed information.

See “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in the accompanying prospectus for more information. All of the documents incorporated by reference are available at www.sec.gov under Baidu, Inc., CIK number 0001329099.

Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 originally filed with the SEC on March 15, 2018 (File No. 000-51469), or our 2017 Form 20-F, and our current report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 7, 2018 (File No. 000-51469), including exhibit 99.1 thereto, are both incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus.

As you read the documents incorporated by reference, you may find inconsistencies in information from one document to another. If you find inconsistencies, you should rely on the statements made in the most recent document.

We will provide a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, upon written or oral request, to any person, including any beneficial owner of the Notes, to whom a copy of this prospectus supplement is delivered, at no cost to such person. You may make such a request by writing or telephoning us at the following mailing address or telephone number:

IR Department

Baidu, Inc.

Baidu Campus

No. 10 Shangdi 10th Street

Haidian District, Beijing 100085

People’s Republic of China

Telephone: +86 (10) 5992-8888

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ECONOMIC AREA CONSIDERATIONS

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold, or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold, or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (“EEA”). For these purposes, a retail investor in the EEA means MiFIa person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended, the “Insurance Mediation Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, the “Prospectus Directive”). Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “is/are likely to,” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, among other things:

The forward-looking statements included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about our company. Our actual results of operations may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors disclosed in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated by reference.

We would like to caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and you should read these statements in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed herein, in the accompanying prospectus, and in the documents incorporated by reference for a more complete discussion of the risks of an investment in our securities. We operate in a rapidly evolving environment. New risks emerge from time to time and it is impossible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law.

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RISK FACTORS

Prospective purchasers of the Notes should carefully consider the risks described below in this prospectus supplement, in the accompanying prospectus, and in the documents incorporated by reference before deciding to purchase any Notes. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, and results of operations could suffer, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to the Notes

The Notes will be structurally subordinated to all obligations of our existing and future subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities.

The Notes will not be guaranteed by any of our existing or future subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities, who together hold substantially all of our operating assets and conduct substantially all of our business. Our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities will have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay amounts due under the Notes or to make any funds available to pay those amounts, whether by dividend, distribution, loan, or other payment. The Notes will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations of our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities such that in the event of insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, or other winding up of any of our subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, all of that subsidiary’s or consolidated affiliated entity’s creditors (including trade creditors) and any holders of preferred stock or shares would be entitled to payment in full out of that subsidiary’s or consolidated affiliated entity’s assets before any remaining assets would be available to Baidu, Inc. to make payments due on the Notes.

In addition, the indenture governing the Notes will, subject to some limitations, permit these subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities to incur additional obligations and will not contain any limitation on the amount of indebtedness or other liabilities, such as trade payables, that may be incurred by these subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities.

The indenture does not restrict the amount of additional debt that we may incur.

The Notes and the indenture under which the Notes will be issued do not limit the amount of unsecured debt that may be incurred by us or our subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, and they permit us and certain of our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities to incur secured debt without equally and ratably securing the Notes under specified circumstances. As of September 30, 2018, our total debt was RMB49.3 billion (US$7.2 billion), primarily consisting of US$171 million in short-term loans, US$1.0 billion in long-term loans, and our US$750 million 3.500% notes due 2022, US$1.0 billion 2.750% notes due 2019, US$750 million 3.000% notes due 2020, US$500 million 4.125% notes due 2025, US$900 million 2.875% notes due 2022, US$600 million 3.625% notes due 2027, US$1.0 billion 3.875% notes due 2023, and US$500 million 4.375% notes due 2028. In November 2018, we issued US$600 million 4.375% notes due 2024 and US$400 million 4.875% notes due 2028, and iQIYI successfully priced an offering of the iQIYI CB. See “Prospectus Supplement Summary—Recent Developments.” After the completion of this offering, we and our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities may incur additional debt. Our and our subsidiaries’ and consolidated affiliated entities’ incurrence of additional debt may have important consequences for you as a holder of the Notes, including making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the Notes, a loss in the market value of your Notes and a risk that the credit rating of the Notes is lowered or withdrawn.

The Notes will be effectively subordinated to any of our secured obligations to the extent of the value of the property securing those obligations.

The Notes will not be secured by any of our assets. As a result, the Notes will be effectively subordinated to our existing and future secured obligations with respect to the assets that secure those obligations. The effect of

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this subordination is that upon a default in payment on, or the acceleration of, any of our secured obligations, or in the event of our bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, or reorganization, the proceeds from the sale of assets securing our secured obligations will be available to pay obligations on the Notes only after all such secured obligations have been paid in full. As a result, the holders of the Notes may receive less, ratably, than the holders of secured debt in the event of our bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution, or reorganization.

We may not be able to repurchase the Notes upon a Triggering Event.

Upon the occurrence of a Triggering Event described in “Description of the Notes—Repurchase Upon Triggering Event,” we will be required to offer to repurchase all outstanding Notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but not including) the date of repurchase. The source of funds for any purchase of the Notes would be our available cash or cash generated from our subsidiaries’ or consolidated affiliated entities’ operations or other sources, including borrowings, sales of assets or sales of equity. We may not be able to repurchase the Notes upon a Triggering Event because we may not have sufficient financial resources to purchase all of the debt securities that are tendered upon a Triggering Event and repay our other indebtedness that may become due. We may require additional financing from third parties to fund any such purchases, and we may be unable to obtain financing on satisfactory terms or at all. Further, our ability to repurchase the Notes may be limited by law.

Holders of the Notes may not be able to determine when a Triggering Event giving rise to their right to have the Notes repurchased has occurred.

The definition of Triggering Event in the indenture that will govern the Notes includes a phrase relating to operating “substantially all” or deriving “substantially all” of the economic benefits from, the business operations conducted by the Group. There is no precise established definition of the phrase “substantially all” under New York law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of the Notes to require us to repurchase its Notes as a result of a Triggering Event may be uncertain.

The terms of the indenture and the Notes provide only limited protection against significant corporate events that could adversely impact your investment in the Notes.

While the indenture and the Notes contain terms intended to provide protection to holders of the Notes upon the occurrence of certain events involving significant corporate transactions, these terms are limited and may not be sufficient to protect your investment in the Notes. For example, we are not required to offer to repurchase all outstanding Notes upon the occurrence of a change of control event (which event would trigger such a repurchase obligation under our 3.500% notes due 2022 in the principal amount of US$750 million). In addition, certain important corporate events, such as merger or consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the assets, liquidation or dissolution and leveraged recapitalizations, would not, under the indenture that will govern the Notes, constitute a Triggering Event that would require us to repurchase the Notes, even though those corporate events could adversely affect our capital structure, credit ratings or the value of the Notes. See “Description of the Notes—Repurchase Upon Triggering Event.”

The indenture for the Notes also does not:

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As a result of the foregoing, when evaluating the terms of the Notes, you should be aware that the terms of the indenture and the Notes do not restrict our ability to engage in, or to otherwise be a party to, a variety of corporate transactions, circumstances, and events that could have an adverse impact on your investment in the Notes.

An active trading market for the Notes may not develop, and the trading price of the Notes could be materially and adversely affected.

The New Notes are a new issue of securities for which there is currently no trading market. Approval-in-principle has been received for the listing and quotation of the New Notes on the SGX-ST. However, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain or maintain such listing or that an active trading market will develop. If no active trading market develops, you may not be able to resell your Notes at their fair market value, or at all. Future trading prices of the Notes will depend on many factors, including prevailing interest rates, our operating results and the market for similar securities. We have been advised that the underwriters intend to make a market in the Notes, but the underwriters are not obligated to do so and may discontinue such market making activity at any time without notice. Therefore there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Notes will develop or be sustained. If an active trading market for the Notes does not develop or is not maintained, the market price and liquidity of the Notes may be adversely affected. In addition, the Notes may trade at prices that are higher or lower than the price at which the Notes have been issued. The price at which the Notes trade depends on many factors, including:

almost all of which are beyond our control. As a result, there can be no assurance that you will be able to resell the Notes at attractive prices or at all.

We may be deemed a PRC “resident enterprise” under PRC tax laws, which could subject interest on the Notes to PRC withholding tax and gains on the transfer of the Notes to PRC income tax and could, under certain circumstances, permit us to redeem the Notes.

If we are considered a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, holders of Notes who are non-resident enterprises may be subject to PRC withholding tax on interest paid by us or PRC income tax on any gains realized from the transfer of Notes, if such income is considered to be derived from sources within the PRC, at a rate of 10% (or lower rate if available under an applicable tax treaty), provided that such non-resident enterprise investor (i) has no establishment or premises in the PRC, or (ii) has an establishment or premises in the PRC but its income derived from the PRC has no real connection with such establishment or premises. Furthermore, if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise and relevant PRC tax authorities consider interest we pay with respect to the Notes or any gains realized from the transfer of Notes to be income derived from sources within the PRC, such interest earned by non-resident individuals may be subject to PRC withholding tax and such gain realized by non-resident individuals may be subject to PRC individual income tax,

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in each case at a rate of 20% (or lower rate if available under an applicable tax treaty). In addition, if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise, interest payable by us to non-resident holders of the Notes may be subject to PRC value-added tax at a rate of 6% and related local levies, including educational surtax and urban maintenance and construction tax at a rate of up to 0.72%.

If we were deemed a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and required to withhold tax on interest on the Notes, we would be required to pay additional amounts as described under “Description of the Notes—Payment of Additional Amounts.” As described under “Description of Debt Securities—Tax Redemption” in the accompanying prospectus, we may redeem the Notes in whole at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest if such requirement to pay additional amounts results from a change in law (or a change in the official application or interpretation of law).

Redemption may adversely affect your return on the Notes.

We have the right to redeem some or all of the Notes prior to maturity. We may redeem the Notes at times when prevailing interest rates are relatively low. Accordingly, you may not be able to reinvest the amount received upon redemption in a comparable security at an effective interest rate as high as that of the Notes.

Our credit ratings may not reflect all risks of your investments in the Notes.

Our credit ratings are an assessment by rating agencies of our ability to pay our debts when due. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the Notes. These credit ratings may not reflect the potential impact of risks relating to the structure or marketing of the Notes. Agency ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the issuing organization. Each agency’s rating should be evaluated independently of any other agency’s rating.

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CERTAIN FINANCIAL DATA

Set forth below are certain consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and cash flow data for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 and certain consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. The consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and cash flow data presented below for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2016, and 2017 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements that are included in our 2017 Form 20-F and are incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. The consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and cash flow data presented below for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2014 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements that are not included in our 2017 Form 20-F. Our audited consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and cash flow data presented below for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of September 30, 2018 have been derived from our unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2018 and as of September 30, 2018, which are contained in our current report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 7, 2018 and are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The unaudited interim financial information has been prepared on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial data except for the adoption of new accounting standards ASC topic 606 (ASC 606), Revenue from Contracts with Customers, ASC topic 321 (ASC 321), Investments—Equity Securities, and Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, all of which became effective from January 1, 2018, and includes all adjustments, consisting only of normal and recurring adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and results of operations for the periods presented.

The consolidated financial information should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our audited consolidated financial statements for the three years ended December 31, 2017 and as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 and related notes and “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” in our 2017 Form 20-F and our current report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 7, 2018, including exhibit 99.1 thereto. Our historical results do not necessarily indicate results expected for any future periods, and the results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2018.

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Starting from January 1, 2018, we adopted a new revenue accounting standard (ASC 606), which reclassifies VAT from cost of revenues to net against revenues. The consolidated statements of comprehensive income data for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 presented below have been prepared in accordance with ASC 606 and exclude the impact of RMB4.5 billion (US$652 million) of VAT, while the consolidated statements of comprehensive income data for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 presented below have been prepared in accordance with the legacy revenue accounting standard (ASC 605) and, unlike the consolidated statements of comprehensive income data for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, include the impact of RMB3.4 billion of VAT.

Notes:

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Notes:

Non-GAAP Financial Measure

We believe that adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, provides meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses, particularly share-based compensation expenses that may not be indicative of our operating performance or financial condition from a cash perspective. We believe that both our management and investors benefit from referring to this non-GAAP financial measure in assessing our performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. Adjusted

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EBITDA also facilitates our management’s internal comparisons to our historical performance and liquidity. We believe that adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by our management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using adjusted EBITDA is that it excludes interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization (excluding amortization of licensed copyrights of iQIYI), and share-based compensation charges that have been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, significant expense items in our results of operations. Another limitation of using adjusted EBITDA is that it does not include all items that impact our net cash provided by operating activities during the period. Our management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from adjusted EBITDA.

The accompanying table sets out our adjusted EBITDA for each period shown, together with a reconciliation between adjusted EBITDA and the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure, operating profit.

Note:

Set forth below is a discussion of our unaudited statements of comprehensive income data for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2018. The discussion of our audited financial information for the three years ended December 31, 2017 and as of December 31, 2016 and 2017 is set forth in “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospectus” in our 2017 Form 20-F, which is incorporated by reference.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017

To facilitate the comparison of operating results and trends in the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2018, when comparing the revenues, cost of revenues, and total operating costs and expenses and calculating the corresponding percentage changes in the paragraphs hereunder and calculating the capital expenditures as a percentage of total revenues in the paragraphs under the heading “Capital Expenditures,” we excluded the impact of VAT for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, to present the nine months ended September 30, 2017 on the same basis as the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

Consolidated revenues. Our total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB75.1 billion (US$10.9 billion), representing a 29.9% increase from our total revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB3.4 billion of VAT, were RMB57.8 billion). Our online marketing revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB60.7 billion (US$8.8 billion), representing a 21.9% increase from our online marketing revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB2.9 billion of VAT, were RMB49.8 billion). This increase was primarily due to (i) an increase in the number of active online marketing customers from approximately 687,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to approximately 734,000 for the nine

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months ended September 30, 2018, and (ii) an increase in the average revenue per customer from approximately RMB71,600 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to approximately RMB82,600 (US$12,000) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Consistent with previously reported numbers, the number of active online marketing customers and average revenue per customer exclude those for our group-buying and delivery related businesses. Our other revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB14.4 billion (US$2.1 billion), representing a 79.7% increase from our other revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB531 million of VAT, were RMB8.0 billion), which was primarily due to a robust growth in iQIYI membership services.

Consolidated operating costs and expenses. Our consolidated operating costs and expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB60.7 billion (US$8.8 billion), representing a 29.4% increase from our consolidated operating costs and expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB3.4 billion of VAT, were RMB46.9 billion), primarily due to the expansion of our business.

Cost of revenues. Our cost of revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was RMB36.1 billion (US$5.3 billion), representing a 28.2% increase from our cost of revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB3.4 billion of VAT, was RMB28.2 billion), primarily due to the following factors.

Selling, general and administrative expenses. Our selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 39.9% from RMB9.5 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB13.3 billion (US$1.9 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to our increasing investment in channel and promotional marketing.

Research and development expenses. Our research and development expenses increased by 21.9% from RMB9.2 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB11.2 billion (US$1.6 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to an increase in personnel-related costs.

Operating profit. As a result of the foregoing, we generated an operating profit of RMB14.4 billion (US$2.1 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, a 32.1% increase from RMB10.9 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Total other income, net. Our total other income, net was RMB11.9 billion (US$1.7 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily attributable to the gains from the disposal of Du Xiaoman Financial

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in other income, net. Our total other income, net was RMB 5.3 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, primarily attributable to the gains from the disposal of Baidu Mobile Game and Baidu Deliveries.

Income tax expenses. Our income tax expenses increased significantly from RMB2.1 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB4.3 billion (US$620 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. The effective tax rate was 16.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to 12.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, which benefited from the disposal of certain subsidiaries.

Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc. As a result of the foregoing, net income attributable to Baidu, Inc. increased by 80.3% from RMB14.1 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB25.5 billion (US$3.7 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

Segment Revenues

The following table sets forth our revenues by segment and change rate between the periods indicated, with each segment revenues including inter-segment revenues:

Baidu Core. Baidu Core revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB57.8 billion (US$8.4 billion), representing a 25.9% increase from Baidu Core revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB2.7 billion of VAT, were RMB45.9 billion), primarily due to increases in both the number of active online marketing customers and the average revenue per customer. The total number of paid clicks for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 represented a 28.9% increase from that for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

iQIYI. iQIYI revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB18.0 billion (US$2.6 billion), representing a 51.6% increase from iQIYI revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB710 million of VAT, were RMB11.9 billion), primarily due to increases in revenues from membership services and other businesses.

Segment Operating Costs and Expenses

The following table sets forth our operating costs and expenses by segment and change rate between the periods indicated:

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Baidu Core. The operating costs and expenses of Baidu Core for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB38.4 billion (US$5.6 billion), representing a 19.3% increase from the operating costs and expenses of Baidu Core for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB2.7 billion of VAT, were RMB32.2 billion), primarily due to the expansion of our business.

Cost of revenues. The cost of revenues of Baidu Core for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was RMB18.0 billion (US$2.6 billion), representing an 11.1% increase from the cost of revenues of Baidu Core for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB2.7 billion of VAT, was RMB16.2 billion), primarily due to an increase in content costs for BJH accounts, Baidu Feed’s content network, and, to a lesser extent, increases in bandwidth costs and traffic acquisition costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses. The selling, general and administrative expenses of Baidu Core increased by 38.0% from RMB7.6 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB10.5 billion (US$1.5 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to increasing investment in channel and promotional marketing.

Research and development expenses. The research and development expenses of Baidu Core increased by 18.3% from RMB8.3 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB9.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to an increase in personnel-related costs.

iQIYI. The operating costs and expenses of iQIYI for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 were RMB22.9 billion (US$3.3 billion), representing a 53.5% increase from the operating costs and expenses of iQIYI for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB710 million of VAT, were RMB14.9 billion), primarily due to the expansion of iQIYI business.

Cost of revenues. The cost of revenues of iQIYI for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was RMB18.6 billion (US$2.7 billion), representing a 53.3% increase from the cost of revenues of iQIYI for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 (which, excluding the impact of RMB710 million of VAT, was RMB12.1 billion), primarily due to an increase in content costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses. The selling, general and administrative expenses of iQIYI increased by 54.8% from RMB1.9 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB2.9 billion (US$429 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to the increasing investment in channel and content-related promotional marketing.

Research and development expenses. The research and development expenses of iQIYI increased by 53.3% from RMB905 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 to RMB1.4 billion (US$202 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily due to an increase in personnel-related costs.

Cash Flows and Working Capital

As of September 30, 2018, we had RMB104.5 billion (US$15.2 billion) in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments.

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The following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the periods indicated:

Net cash generated from operating activities increased to RMB27.0 billion (US$3.9 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 from RMB23.1 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, primarily due to an increase in net income, partially offset by certain non-cash gains.

Net cash used in investing activities decreased to RMB22.9 billion (US$3.3 billion) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 from RMB62.0 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, primarily due to an increase in our net cash inflow relating to our former financial services business and a decrease in our net cash outflow relating to purchasing short-term investments, partially offset by our net cash outflow relating to the disposal of certain subsidiaries and loans provided to related parties.

Net cash used in financing activities was RMB1.9 billion (US$281 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to net cash generated from financing activities of RMB43.8 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The change was primarily due to an increase in our net cash outflow relating to our former financial services business and a decrease in net proceeds from issuances of long-term notes and convertible notes, partially offset by the proceeds from non-controlling shareholders of our subsidiaries.

Capital Expenditures

We made capital expenditures of RMB5.7 billion (US$829 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, representing 7.6% of our total revenues, as compared to RMB3.6 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, representing 6.2% of our total revenues (which, excluding the impact of RMB3.4 billion of VAT, were RMB57.8 billion). Our capital expenditures were primarily attributable to the purchase of servers, network equipment, and other computer hardware to increase our network infrastructure capacity. We funded our capital expenditures primarily with net cash flow generated from operating activities.

Our capital expenditures may increase significantly in the future as our business continues to grow, in connection with the expansion and improvement of our network infrastructure and the construction of office buildings and cloud-computing based data centers. We currently plan to fund these expenditures with our current cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, and anticipated cash flow generated from our operating activities.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds (after underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated net offering expenses) from the sale of the New Notes will be approximately US$            . We plan to use the net proceeds from the sale of the New Notes to repay certain existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes.

We may use the net proceeds from our issuance and sale of the New Notes to fund the operations of our PRC subsidiaries by making additional capital contributions to our existing PRC subsidiaries, injecting capital to establish new PRC subsidiaries, or providing loans to our PRC subsidiaries. Transfer of funds from Baidu, Inc. or any of our offshore subsidiaries to our PRC subsidiaries is subject to PRC regulatory restrictions and procedures. Capital contributions to existing PRC subsidiaries and establishment of new PRC subsidiaries must be (i) either filed with or approved by the Ministry of Commerce or its local counterparts depending on whether the business of the PRC subsidiary is subject to restrictions with respect to foreign investment under PRC law, (ii) registered with the local counterparts of the State Administration for Market Regulation, and (iii) registered with the local banks authorized by SAFE. Loans to any of our PRC subsidiaries must not exceed a statutory limit and must be filed with SAFE, and also filed with the NDRC if the term of such loans exceeds one year. See “Item 3.D. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay or prevent us from making loans to our PRC subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, or making additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, which could adversely affect our ability to fund and expand our business” in our 2017 Form 20-F, which is incorporated by reference.

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EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

Our business is primarily conducted in China and almost all of our revenues are denominated in Renminbi. The conversion of Renminbi into U.S. dollars in this prospectus supplement is based on the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts in this prospectus supplement that are not recorded on our audited consolidated financial statements have been translated from Renminbi to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi at a rate of RMB6.8680 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of the end of September 2018. All amounts in this prospectus supplement that are recorded on our audited consolidated financial statements have been translated from Renminbi to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi at a rate of RMB6.5063 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of the end of 2017. We make no representation that any Renminbi or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of Renminbi into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On November 23, 2018, the exchange rate was RMB6.9477 to US$1.00.

The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar for the periods indicated.

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our consolidated total capitalization as of September 30, 2018:

This table should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in our 2017 Form 20-F and our current report on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 7, 2018 (File No. 000-51469), including exhibit 99.1 thereto, both of which are incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. For a discussion of our senior unsecured notes offering in November 2018 and the offering by iQIYI of the iQIYI CB, see “Prospectus Supplement Summary—Recent Developments.”

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As of September 30, 2018, on a consolidated basis, all of our debt outstanding was unsecured except for RMB1.5 billion (US$212 million) secured loans borrowed by iQIYI. In addition, as of September 30, 2018, we did not have any off-balance sheet guarantees.

After the completion of this offering, we may incur additional debt in the regular course of our business, which may materially affect our total debt as provided in the table above.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The following description is only a summary of the material terms of the Notes and does not purport to be complete. The New Notes will be issued under and governed by the indenture dated as of November 28, 2012, as supplemented by the seventh supplemental indenture dated as of November 14, 2018 (as so supplemented, the “indenture”), between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “trustee”). The following description of certain material terms of the Notes is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the indenture, including definitions of specified terms used in the indenture, and to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a beneficial holder of the Notes. A form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus form a part. You may also request copies of the indenture from us at our address set forth under “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus. This summary supplements the description of the debt securities in the accompanying prospectus and, to the extent it is inconsistent, replaces the description in the accompanying prospectus.

In this description, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” mean Baidu, Inc. only and do not include any of our Subsidiaries or Consolidated Affiliated Entities, unless the context otherwise requires.

General

The New Notes offered hereby shall constitute a further issuance of, be fungible and consolidated with, and form a single series with, the Initial Notes (together with the New Notes, the “Notes”). The New Notes will constitute additional Notes under the indenture, having the same terms and conditions as the Initial Notes in all respects (except for the issue date and the issue price). The New Notes will be issued in an aggregate principal amount of US$                    . Upon the issuance of the New Notes, the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes will be US$                    . The Notes will mature on May 14, 2024, unless the Notes are redeemed prior to their maturity pursuant to the indenture and the terms thereof. The Notes will bear interest at the rate of 4.375% per annum. Interest on the Notes will accrue from November 14, 2018 and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on May 14 and November 14 of each year, beginning on May 14, 2019, to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding April 30 and October 31, respectively, which we refer to as the record dates. At maturity, the Notes are payable at their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon. In any case where the payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes is due on a date that is not a Business Day (as defined under the heading “Optional Redemption” below), then payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes, as the case may be, shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest shall accrue with respect to such payment for the period from and after such date that is not a Business Day to such next succeeding Business Day. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

The Notes shall be denominated in minimum principal amounts of US$200,000 and in integral multiples of US$1,000 in excess thereof. The Notes will be issued in global registered form.

Ranking

The Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations issued under the indenture. The Notes will rank senior in right of payment to all of our existing and future obligations expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and rank at least equal in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations (subject to any priority rights pursuant to applicable law). However, the Notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our existing and future secured obligations, to the extent of the value of the assets serving as security therefor, and be structurally subordinated to all existing and future obligations and other liabilities of our Controlled Entities.

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Issuance of Additional Notes

We may, from time to time, without the consent of the holders of the Notes, create and issue additional Notes having the same terms and conditions as the Notes in all respects (or in all respects except for the issue date, the issue price and the first payment of interest). The additional Notes issued in this manner will be consolidated with the previously outstanding Notes to constitute a single series of the Notes. We will not issue any additional Notes with the same CUSIP, ISIN or other identifying number as any Notes offered hereby unless the additional Notes are fungible with the outstanding Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Optional Redemption

We may, upon giving not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice to holders of the Notes (which notice shall be irrevocable) and the trustee, redeem the Notes at any time prior to April 14, 2024, in whole or in part, at a redemption amount equal to the greater of:

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed, if any, to, but not including, the applicable redemption date; provided that the principal amount of a Note remaining outstanding after redemption in part shall be US$200,000 or an integral multiple of US$1,000 in excess thereof.

In addition, we may, upon giving not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice to holders of the Notes (which notice shall be irrevocable) and the trustee, redeem the Notes at any time from or after April 14, 2024, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to be redeemed, if any, to, but not including, the applicable redemption date.

“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in The City of New York, Hong Kong or Beijing are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if we obtain fewer than three such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all quotations obtained.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by us.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of any three investment banks of recognized standing that is a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States, selected by us in good faith.

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“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by us, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to us by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth Business Day before such redemption date.

“Treasury Yield” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the fifth Business Day before such redemption date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The notice of redemption will be mailed at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of record of the Notes to be redeemed at its registered address. The notice of redemption for the Notes will state, among other things, the amount of Notes to be redeemed, the redemption date, the manner in which the redemption price will be calculated and the place or places that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of Notes to be redeemed. Unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on any Notes that have been called for redemption at the redemption date. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed will be selected (i) if listed on a national securities exchange or held through the clearing systems then in compliance with the requirements of such national securities exchange or the clearing system, and (ii) if the Notes are not listed on any securities exchange and are not held through the clearing systems then pro rata, by lot or in such other manner as the trustee deems appropriate in its sole discretion, unless otherwise required by law.

Repurchase Upon Triggering Event

If a Triggering Event occurs, unless we have exercised our right to redeem the Notes as described under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Tax Redemption” in the accompanying prospectus or under the heading “Optional Redemption” above, we will be required to make an offer to repurchase all or, at the holder’s option, any part (equal to US$200,000 or multiples of US$1,000 in excess thereof), of each holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described below (the “Triggering Event Offer”) on the terms set forth in the indenture and the Notes. In the Triggering Event Offer, we will be required to offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of purchase (the “Triggering Event Payment”).

Within 30 days following a Triggering Event, we will be required to mail a notice to holders of the Notes, with a copy to the trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Triggering Event and offering to repurchase the Notes on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “Triggering Event Payment Date”), pursuant to the procedures required by the Notes and described in such notice.

On the Triggering Event Payment Date, we will be required, to the extent lawful, to:

The relevant paying agent will be required to promptly mail, to each holder who properly tendered Notes, the purchase price for such Notes properly tendered, and the trustee will be required to promptly authenticate and

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mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each such holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of US$200,000 or a multiple of US$1,000 in excess thereof.

We will not be required to make a Triggering Event Offer upon a Triggering Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by us and such third party purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer. In the event that such third party terminates or defaults its offer, we will be required to make a Triggering Event Offer treating the date of such termination or default as though it were the date of the Triggering Event.

We will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, to the extent applicable, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Triggering Event. To the extent that the provision of any such securities laws or regulations conflicts with the Triggering Event Offer provisions of the Notes, we will comply with those securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached our obligations under the Triggering Event Offer provisions of the Notes by virtue of any such conflict.

There can be no assurance that we will have sufficient funds available at the time of a Triggering Event to consummate a Triggering Event Offer for all Notes then outstanding (or all Notes properly tendered by the holders of such Notes) and pay the Triggering Event Payment. We may also be prohibited by terms of other indebtedness or agreements from repurchasing the Notes upon a Triggering Event, which would require us to repay the relevant indebtedness or terminate the relevant agreement before we can proceed with a Triggering Event Offer, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to effect such repayment or termination.

“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Shares and limited liability or partnership interests (whether general or limited), but excluding any debt securities convertible or exchangeable into such equity.

“Consolidated Affiliated Entity” of any Person means any corporation, association or other entity which is or is required to be consolidated with such Person under Accounting Standards Codification subtopic 810-10, Consolidation: Overall (including any changes, amendments or supplements thereto) or, if such Person prepares its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles other than U.S. GAAP, the equivalent of Accounting Standards Codification subtopic 810-10, Consolidation: Overall under such accounting principles. Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Consolidated Affiliated Entity will refer to a Consolidated Affiliated Entity of ours.

“Controlled Entity” of any Person means a Subsidiary or a Consolidated Affiliated Entity of such Person. “Group” means the Company and our Controlled Entities.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, undertaking, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, trust, state, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity (in each case whether or not being a separate legal entity).

“Preferred Shares,” as applied to the Capital Stock of any corporation, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) that is preferred as to the payment of dividends upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

“Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency)

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to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof (or Persons performing similar functions) or (b) any partnership, joint venture limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), voting at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless otherwise specified herein, each reference to a Subsidiary will refer to a Subsidiary of the Company.

“Triggering Event” means (A) any change in or amendment to the laws, regulations and rules of the PRC or the official interpretation or official application thereof (“Change in Law”) that results in (x) the Group (as in existence immediately subsequent to such Change in Law), as a whole, being legally prohibited from operating substantially all of the business operations conducted by the Group (as in existence immediately prior to such Change in Law) as of the last date of the period described in our consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal quarter and (y) we being unable to continue to derive substantially all of the economic benefits from the business operations conducted by the Group (as in existence immediately prior to such Change in Law) in the same manner as reflected in our consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal quarter and (B) we have not furnished to the trustee, prior to the date that is twelve months after the date of the Change in Law, an opinion from an independent financial advisor or an independent legal counsel stating either (1) we are able to continue to derive substantially all of the economic benefits from the business operations conducted by the Group (as in existence immediately prior to such Change in Law), taken as a whole, as reflected in our consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal quarter (including after giving effect to any corporate restructuring or reorganization plan of ours) or (2) such Change in Law would not materially adversely affect our ability to make principal and interest payments on the Notes when due.

The definition of Triggering Event includes a phrase relating to operating “substantially all” or deriving “substantially all” of the economic benefits from, the business operations conducted by the Group. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the applicability of the requirement that we offer to repurchase the Notes as a result of a Triggering Event may be uncertain.

Payment of Additional Amounts

All payments of principal, premium and interest made by us in respect of the Notes will be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (“Taxes”) imposed or levied by or within the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the PRC or any jurisdiction where we are otherwise considered by a taxing authority to be a resident for tax purposes (in each case, including any political subdivision or any authority therein or thereof having power to tax) (the “Relevant Jurisdiction”), unless such withholding or deduction of such Taxes is required by law. If we are required to make such withholding or deduction, we will pay such additional amounts (“Additional Amounts”) as will result in receipt by each holder of any Note of such amounts as would have been received by such holder had no such withholding or deduction of such Taxes been required, except that no such Additional Amounts shall be payable:

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In the event that any withholding or deduction for or on account of any Taxes is required and Additional Amounts are payable with respect thereto, at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes, we will furnish to the trustee and the paying agent, if other than the trustee, an officers’ certificate specifying the amount required to be withheld or deducted on such payments to such holders, certifying that we shall pay such amounts required to be withheld to the appropriate governmental authority and certifying to the fact that the Additional Amounts will be payable and the amounts so payable to each holder, and that we will pay to the trustee or such paying agent the Additional Amounts required to be paid; provided that no such officers’ certificate will be required prior to any date of payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on the Notes if there has been no change with respect to the matters set forth in a prior officers’ certificate. The trustee and each paying agent may rely on the fact that any officers’ certificate contemplated by this paragraph has not been furnished as evidence of the fact that no withholding or deduction for or on account of any Taxes is required. We covenant to indemnify the trustee and any paying agent for and to hold them harmless against any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without fraudulent activity, gross negligence or willful misconduct on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any such officers’ certificate furnished pursuant to this paragraph or on the fact that any officers’ certificate contemplated by this paragraph has not been furnished.

Whenever there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of principal, premium or interest in respect of any Note, such mention shall be deemed to include the payment of Additional Amounts provided for in the indenture, to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to the indenture.

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The foregoing provisions shall apply in the same manner with respect to the jurisdiction in which any successor Person to us is organized or resident for tax purposes or any authority therein or thereof having the power to tax (a “Successor Jurisdiction”), substituting such Successor Jurisdiction for the Relevant Jurisdiction.

Our obligation to make payments of Additional Amounts under the terms and conditions described above will survive any termination, defeasance or discharge of the indenture.

Modification and Waiver

The provisions of the indenture relating to modification and waiver, which are described under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Modification and Waiver” in the accompanying prospectus, will apply to the Notes, with the additional provisions that:

Events of Default

The provisions of the indenture relating to Events of Default, which are described under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Events of Default” in the accompanying prospectus, will apply to the Notes, provided that they shall be modified, principally to delete references to “Principal Controlled Entities” in clauses (v) and (vi) in the first paragraph and the second sentence of the third paragraph under such heading, such that the description of such provisions with respect to the Notes is as follows:

“Under the terms of the indenture, each of the following constitutes an Event of Default of the Notes:

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However, a default under clause (iv) of the preceding paragraph will not constitute an Event of Default until the trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series provide written notice to us of the default and we do not cure such default within the time specified in clause (iv) of the preceding paragraph after receipt of such notice.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in clauses (vii) and (viii) above) shall occur and be continuing, either the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt

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securities of that series then outstanding by written notice as provided in the indenture may, and the trustee, upon instructions from holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding and subject to receipt of pre-funding, security and/or indemnity to its satisfaction, shall declare the unpaid principal amount of such debt securities and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon (and any Additional Amount payable in respect thereof) to be due and payable immediately upon receipt of such notice. If an Event of Default in clause (v) above shall occur, the declaration of acceleration of the debt securities shall be automatically annulled if the default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to clause (v) shall be remedied or cured by us or waived by the holders of the relevant indebtedness within 30 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto and if (1) the annulment of the acceleration of the debt securities of that series would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of principal, premium (if any) or interest on the debt securities of that series that became due solely because of the acceleration of the debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived. If an Event of Default in clauses (vii) or (viii) above shall occur, the unpaid principal amount of all the debt securities then outstanding and any accrued and unpaid interest thereon will automatically, and without any declaration or other action by the trustee or any holder of such debt securities, become immediately due and payable. After a declaration of acceleration but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding may, under certain circumstances, waive all past defaults and rescind and annul such acceleration if (1) rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction and (2) all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on such debt securities that became due solely because of the acceleration of such debt securities, have been cured or waived. For information as to waiver of defaults, see “—Modification and Waiver.”

Subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to the duties of the trustee, in case an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by the indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the holders of debt securities, unless such holders shall have offered to the trustee pre-funding, security and/or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby. Subject to certain provisions, including those requiring pre-funding, security and/or indemnification of the trustee, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of a series then outstanding will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee. No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or the debt securities, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless (i) such holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series, (ii) the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding have made written request to the trustee to institute such proceeding, (iii) such holder or holders have offered pre-funding, security and/or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee and (iv) the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding, and has not received from the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding a written direction inconsistent with such request, within 60 days after such notice, request and offer. However, such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a holder of a debt security for the enforcement of the right to receive payment of the principal of, premium (if any) or interest on such debt security on or after the applicable due date specified in such debt security.”

Limitation on Liens

So long as any Note remains outstanding, we will not create or have outstanding, and we will ensure that none of our Principal Controlled Entities will create or have outstanding, any Lien upon the whole or any part of their respective present or future undertaking, assets or revenues (including any uncalled capital) securing any Relevant Indebtedness or create or have outstanding any guarantee or indemnity in respect of any Relevant Indebtedness either of us or of any of our Principal Controlled Entities, without (i) at the same time or prior thereto securing or guaranteeing the Notes equally and ratably therewith or (ii) providing such other security or

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guarantee for the Notes as shall be approved by an act of the holders of the Notes holding at least a majority of the principal amount of the Notes then outstanding.

The foregoing restriction will not apply to:

“Lien” means any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien or other form of encumbrance or security interest.

“Non-recourse Obligation” means indebtedness or other obligations substantially related to (1) the acquisition of assets not previously owned by us or any of our Controlled Entities or (2) the financing of a project involving the purchase, development, improvement or expansion of properties of ours or any of our Controlled Entities, as to which the obligee with respect to such indebtedness or obligation has no recourse to us or any of our Controlled Entities of ours or to our or any such Controlled Entity’s assets other than the assets which were acquired with the proceeds of such transaction or the project financed with the proceeds of such transaction (and the proceeds thereof).

“Relevant Indebtedness” means any indebtedness which is in the form of, or represented or evidenced by, bonds, notes, debentures, loan stock or other securities which for the time being are, or are intended to be or are commonly, quoted, listed or dealt in or traded on any stock exchange or over-the-counter or other securities market.

Certain Definitions

The definition of “Principal Controlled Entities,” which is included under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Certain Definitions” in the accompanying prospectus, will apply to the Notes, provided that it has

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been modified, inter alia, to (i) to exclude certain listed Controlled Entities from such definition and (ii) to increase the revenue and net profit thresholds in the definition of Principal Controlled Entities from 5% to 10%, such that the description of such provisions with respect to the Notes is as follows:

““Principal Controlled Entities” at any time shall mean one of our Non-listed Controlled Entities

all as calculated by reference to the then latest audited financial statements (consolidated or, as the case may be, unconsolidated) of our Non-listed Controlled Entity and our then latest audited consolidated financial statements;

provided that, in relation to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) above:

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An officers’ certificate delivered to the trustee certifying in good faith as to whether or not a Non-listed Controlled Entity is a Principal Controlled Entity shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.”

“Non-listed Controlled Entities” means the Controlled Entities other than (i) any Controlled Entities with shares of common stock or other common equity interests listed on an internationally recognized stock exchange; and (ii) any Subsidiaries or Consolidated Affiliated Entities of any Controlled Entity referred to in clause (i) of this definition.

NDRC Post-Issuance Filing

The Company will notify the trustee if it does not file or cause to be filed with the NDRC the requisite information and documents required to be filed with the NDRC within 10 PRC Business Days after the completion of the Notes issuance in accordance with the Circular on Promoting the Reform of the Administrative System on the Issuance by Enterprises of Foreign Debt Filings and Registrations ( ) issued by the NDRC and which came into effect on September 14, 2015 and any implementation rules as issued by the NDRC as in effect at such time (the “Post-Issuance Filing”). Such notification to the trustee shall be made within 10 PRC Business Days after such failure to complete the Post-Issuance Filing.

The trustee shall have no obligation to monitor and ensure the completion of the NDRC Post-Issuance Filing on or before the deadline referred to above or to verify the accuracy, validity, and/or genuineness of any documents in relation to or in connection with the NDRC Post-Issuance Filing, and shall not be liable to the holders or any other person for not doing so.

“PRC Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the PRC are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

The provisions of the indenture relating to legal defeasance and covenant defeasance, which are described under the heading “Description of Debt Securities—Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” in the accompanying prospectus, will apply to the Notes, and in addition, we may also exercise Covenant Defeasance with respect to our obligations under the indenture and the Notes that are described under the headings “—Repurchase Upon Triggering Event” and “—Limitation on Liens” above.

No Sinking Fund

The Notes will not be subject to, nor entitled to the benefit of, any sinking fund.

Book-Entry; Delivery and Form

The Notes are represented by one or more global notes. An initial global note was and one or more additional global notes will be deposited with and registered in the name of DTC or its nominee for the accounts of its participants, including Euroclear Bank SA/ NV (“Euroclear”) as operator of the Euroclear System, and Clearstream Banking S.A. (“Clearstream”). Any additional Notes will be represented by one or more additional global notes. We will not issue certificated Notes, except in the limited circumstances described below. Transfers of ownership interests in the global notes will be effected only through entries made on the books of DTC participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. You will not receive written confirmation from DTC of your purchase. The direct or indirect participants through whom you purchased the Notes should send you written confirmations providing details of your transactions, as well as periodic statements of your holdings. The direct and indirect participants are responsible for keeping accurate account of the holdings of their customers like you. The laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in the global notes.

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You, as the beneficial owner of Notes, will not receive certificates representing ownership interests in the global notes, except in the following limited circumstances: (1) DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if DTC ceases to be eligible under the indenture and we do not appoint a successor depositary within 90 days; (2) we determine that the Notes will no longer be represented by global notes and execute and deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate to such effect; or (3) an event of default with respect to the Notes will have occurred and be continuing. These certificated Notes will be registered in such name or names as DTC will instruct the trustee and the agents. It is expected that such instructions may be based upon directions received by DTC from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in global notes.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner and holder of the global notes, DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Notes represented by the global notes for all purposes under the indenture relating to the Notes. Except as provided above, you, as the beneficial owner of interests in the global notes, will not be entitled to have Notes registered in your name, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owner or holder thereof under the indenture. Accordingly, you, as the beneficial owner, must rely on the procedures of DTC and, if you are not a DTC participant, on the procedures of the DTC participants through which you own your interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indenture.

Neither we, the trustee, nor any other agent of ours or agent of the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in global notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to the beneficial ownership interests. DTC’s practice is to credit the accounts of DTC’s direct participants with payment in amounts proportionate to their respective holdings in principal amount of beneficial interest in a security as shown on the records of DTC, unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on the payment date. The underwriters will initially designate the accounts to be credited. Beneficial owners may experience delays in receiving distributions on their Notes because distributions will initially be made to DTC and they must be transferred through the chain of intermediaries to the beneficial owner’s account. Payments by DTC participants to you will be the responsibility of the DTC participant and not of DTC, the trustee or us. Accordingly, we and any paying agent will have no responsibility or liability for: any aspect of DTC’s records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in the Notes represented by a global securities certificate; any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and its participants or the relationship between those participants and the owners of beneficial interests in a global securities certificate held through those participants; or the maintenance, supervision or review of any of DTC’s records relating to those beneficial ownership interests.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants, and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

We have been informed that, under DTC’s existing practices, if we request any action of holders of senior notes, or an owner of a beneficial interest in a global security such as you desires to take any action which a holder of the Notes is entitled to take under the indenture, DTC would authorize the direct participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to take such action, and those direct participants and any indirect participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through those direct and indirect participants to take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.

Clearstream and Euroclear have provided us with the following information:

Clearstream

Clearstream is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depositary. Clearstream holds securities for its participating organizations and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions

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between Clearstream participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of Clearstream participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream provides to Clearstream participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream interfaces with domestic securities markets in several countries. As a professional depositary, Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Commission for the Supervision of the Financial Sector (Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier). Clearstream participants include underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations and may include the underwriters. Clearstream’s U.S. participants are limited to securities brokers and dealers and banks. Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream participant either directly or indirectly.

Distributions with respect to the Notes held beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash accounts of Clearstream participants in accordance with its rules and procedures, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Clearstream.

Euroclear

Euroclear was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of Euroclear and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash. Euroclear performs various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interacts with domestic markets in several countries. Euroclear is operated by Euroclear Bank SA/NV under contract with Euroclear plc, a U.K. corporation. All operations are conducted by the Euroclear operator, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear operator, not Euroclear plc. Euroclear plc establishes policy for Euroclear on behalf of Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks, including central banks, securities brokers and dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly.

The Euroclear operator is a Belgian bank. As such it is regulated by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission.

Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System, and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the “Terms and Conditions”). The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear, and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific clearance accounts. The Euroclear operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no record of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear participants.

Distributions with respect to the Notes held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of Euroclear participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Euroclear.

Euroclear has further advised us that investors who acquire, hold and transfer interests in the Notes by book-entry through accounts with the Euroclear operator or any other securities intermediary are subject to the laws and contractual provisions governing their relationship with their intermediary, as well as the laws and contractual provisions governing the relationship between such an intermediary and each other intermediary, if any, standing between themselves and the global securities certificates.

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Global Clearance and Settlement Procedures

Initial settlement for the Notes will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in immediately available funds using DTC’s Same Day Funds Settlement System. Secondary market trading between Clearstream participants and/or Euroclear participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in immediately available funds.

Cross market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream participants or Euroclear participants, on the other, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its U.S. depositary; however, such cross market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving Notes through DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream participants and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to their respective U.S. depositaries.

Because of time zone differences, credits of the Notes received through Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC participant will be made during subsequent securities settlement processing and dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Such credits or any transactions in such Notes settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant Euroclear participants or Clearstream participants on such business day. Cash received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of the Notes by or through a Clearstream participant or a Euroclear participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of Notes among participants of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be modified or discontinued at any time. Neither we nor the paying agent will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective direct or indirect participants of their obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

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TAXATION

Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Notes under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence, or domicile.

Cayman Islands Taxation

The following is a discussion of certain Cayman Islands income tax consequences of an investment in the Notes. The discussion is a general summary of present law, which is subject to prospective and retroactive change. It is not intended as tax advice, does not consider any investor’s particular circumstances, and does not consider tax consequences other than those arising under Cayman Islands law.

Under existing Cayman Islands law, payments of interest and principal on the Notes will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands and no withholding will be required on the payment of interest and principal to any holder of the Notes, nor will gains derived from the disposal of the Notes be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation tax. The Cayman Islands currently have no income, corporation, or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax, or gift tax. No stamp duty is payable in respect of the issue of the Notes. An instrument of transfer in respect of a Note is stampable if executed in or brought into the Cayman Islands.

PRC Taxation

The following is a summary of certain PRC tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of Notes to non-resident enterprises and non-resident individuals. It is based upon applicable laws, rules, and regulations in effect as of the date of this prospectus supplement, all of which are subject to change (possibly with retroactive effect). This discussion does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all the tax considerations that may be relevant to a decision to purchase, own, or dispose of the Notes and does not purport to deal with consequences applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special rules. Persons considering the purchase of Notes should consult their own tax advisors concerning the tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, and disposition of Notes, including such possible consequences under the laws of their country of citizenship, residence, or domicile.

If we are considered a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, holders of Notes that are non-resident enterprises may be subject to PRC withholding tax on interest paid by us or PRC enterprise income tax on any gains realized from the transfer of Notes, if such income is considered to be derived from sources within the PRC, at a rate of 10% (or lower rate if available under an applicable tax treaty), provided that such non-resident enterprise investor (i) has no establishment or premises in the PRC, or (ii) has an establishment or premises in the PRC but its income derived from the PRC has no real connection with such establishment or premises. Furthermore, if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise and the relevant PRC tax authorities consider interest we pay on the Notes or any gains realized from the transfer of Notes to be income derived from sources within the PRC, such interest earned by non-resident individuals may be subject to PRC withholding tax and such gain realized by non-resident individuals may be subject to PRC individual income tax, in each case at a rate of 20% (or lower rate if available under an applicable tax treaty). In addition, if we are considered a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, interest payable by us to non-resident holders of the Notes may be subject to PRC value-added tax at a rate of 6% and related local levies, including educational surtax and urban maintenance and construction tax at a rate of up to 0.72%.

If we are not deemed a PRC resident enterprise, non-resident enterprise and non-resident individual holders of Notes will not be subject to PRC income tax on any payments of interest on, or gains from the transfer of, Notes.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

The following discussion is a summary of U.S. federal income tax considerations under present law of the ownership and disposition of the Notes. This summary applies only to U.S. Holders that purchase the Notes in

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the initial offering at their issue price and hold the Notes as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For purposes of this discussion, “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of the Notes that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes,

This discussion does not address all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to any particular investor. In particular, the discussion does not address all of the tax consequences that may be applicable to investors that are subject to special rules, such as banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, broker dealers, persons that elect to mark their securities to market, tax-exempt entities, persons liable for the alternative minimum tax, regulated investment companies, certain expatriates or former long-term residents of the United States, governments or agencies or instrumentalities thereof, persons holding the Notes as part of a straddle, hedging, conversion, or integrated transaction, persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, and persons required to accelerate the recognition of any item of gross income with respect to the Notes as a result of such income being recognized on an applicable financial statement. Moreover, this discussion does not address any foreign, state, or local tax considerations, any aspect of the Medicare tax on net investment income or any aspect of U.S. federal non-income tax laws, such as gift or estate tax laws.

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS CONCERNING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AS WELL AS ANY STATE, LOCAL, OR FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES.

The discussion below regarding U.S. federal income tax consequences is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder as well as administrative rulings or pronouncements or judicial decisions thereof, all as of the date hereof. All of the foregoing authorities are subject to change, which change could apply retroactively and could affect the tax considerations described below.

If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Notes, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holding the Notes or a partner therein, you are urged to consult your tax advisor.

It is expected, and this discussion assumes, that the New Notes will be considered to have the same issue date and issue price as the Initial Notes and will be fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, depending on your purchase price, the Notes may have bond premium (as discussed below under “—Bond Premium”).

Pre-issuance Accrued Interest

A portion of the price paid for the New Notes will be allocable to interest that accrued prior to the date the New Notes are purchased (the “pre-issuance accrued interest”). A portion of the interest received on the first interest payment date equal to the pre-issuance accrued interest should be treated as a return of the pre-issuance accrued interest and not as a payment of interest on the Notes. Amounts treated as a return of pre-issuance accrued interest should not be taxable when received but should reduce your adjusted tax basis in the Notes by a corresponding amount.

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Interest Payments

Payments of stated interest on the Notes (other than any portion of the first interest payment treated as a return of pre-issuance accrued interest, as discussed above under “—Pre-issuance Accrued Interest) will be includible in your gross income as ordinary interest income at the time you receive or accrue such amounts (in accordance with your regular method of tax accounting).

Interest on the Notes will constitute foreign-source income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For foreign tax credit limitation purposes, interest on the Notes will generally constitute passive income.

As described in “—PRC Taxation,” if we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, payments of interest in respect of the Notes may be subject to PRC withholding taxes. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of interest includible in taxable income would include any amounts withheld in respect of PRC taxes. If PRC withholding taxes apply to interest paid to you with respect to the Notes, you may be able to obtain a reduced rate of PRC withholding taxes under the income tax treaty between the United States and the PRC (the “U.S.-PRC Income Tax Treaty”) if certain requirements are met. In addition, subject to certain conditions and limitations, PRC withholding taxes on interest that is non-refundable under the U.S.-PRC Income Tax Treaty may be treated as foreign taxes eligible for credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability. If you do not elect to claim a foreign tax credit, you may instead claim a deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes in respect of such withholding, but only for a year in which you elect to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility and creditability of any PRC tax.

Any Additional Amounts paid pursuant to the obligations described under “Description of the Notes— Payment of Additional Amounts” will be treated as foreign-source ordinary interest income.

Bond Premium

You will be considered to have purchased the New Notes at a premium equal to the excess of your purchase price over the sum of the principal amount and the pre-issuance accrued interest on the New Notes and may elect to amortize the premium as an offset to interest income, using a constant yield method, over the remaining term of the New Notes. If you make this election, it generally will apply to all taxable debt instruments held during or after such taxable year for which you make the election. In addition, you may not revoke the election without the consent of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. If you elect to amortize the premium, you will be required to reduce tax basis in the New Notes by the amount of the premium amortized during your holding period. If you do not elect to amortize premium, the amount of premium will be included in the tax basis in the New Notes and will decrease the gain or increase the loss otherwise recognized upon the disposition of the New Notes. Therefore, if you do not elect to amortize premium and hold the New Notes to maturity, you generally will be required to treat the premium as capital loss when the New Notes mature.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption, and Other Disposition of the Notes

Upon the sale, exchange, redemption, or other disposition of the Notes, you will recognize taxable gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between the amount realized on the sale, exchange, redemption, or other disposition (other than amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, which will be treated as ordinary interest income) and your adjusted tax basis in such Notes. Any such gain or loss will generally be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if at the time of sale, exchange, redemption, or other disposition you held the Notes for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

As described in “—PRC Taxation,” if we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, gains from the disposition of Notes may be subject to PRC income taxes. You may use foreign tax credits to offset only the portion of your U.S. tax liability considered to be attributable to foreign-

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source income. Generally, gain or loss from the disposition of Notes will be U.S.-source for foreign tax credit limitation purposes, which will generally limit the availability of foreign tax credits. However, if you are eligible for the benefits of the U.S.-PRC Income Tax Treaty, you may be able to elect to treat such gain as PRC source income under the U.S.-PRC Income Tax Treaty. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding your eligibility for benefits under the U.S.-PRC Income Tax Treaty and the creditability of any PRC tax in your particular circumstances if you are so eligible.

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UNDERWRITING

Subject to the terms and conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, dated as of the date of this prospectus supplement between us and the underwriters named below, for whom Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are acting as representatives, we have agreed to sell to each underwriter, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase from us, the principal amount of the New Notes set forth opposite its name below:

The underwriters are offering the New Notes subject to their acceptance of the New Notes from us, and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the New Notes are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters must purchase all the New Notes if they purchase any of the New Notes. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel, or modify offers to investors and to reject orders in whole or in part.

The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the New Notes directly to the public at the offering prices described on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. After the initial offering of the New Notes, the underwriters may from time to time vary the offering prices and other selling terms. The offering of the New Notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

Certain of the underwriters are not broker-dealers registered with the SEC. Therefore, to the extent they intend to make any offers or sales of New Notes in the United States, they will do so only through one or more registered broker-dealers in compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations, and FINRA rules. Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. will offer the New Notes in the United States through its registered broker-dealer affiliate Goldman, Sachs & Co.

The following table shows the underwriting discounts that we will pay to the underwriters in connection with this offering:

Expenses associated with this offering to be paid by us, other than underwriting commissions and discounts, are estimated to be US$            .

We have agreed that, for a period until 10 days after the date of closing (which is expected to be             , 2018), we will not, without the prior written consent of the representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by us. The underwriters in their sole discretion may consent to the offering and sale of such securities by us at any time without notice. We have also agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.

The New Notes will constitute a new class of securities with no established trading market. Approval-in-principle has been received for the listing and quotation of the New Notes on the SGX-ST. However,

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we cannot assure you that the prices at which the New Notes will sell in the market after this offering will not be lower than the initial offering price or that an active trading market for the Notes will develop and continue after this offering. The underwriters have advised us that they currently intend to make a market in the New Notes. However, they are not obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market-making activities with respect to the New Notes at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, the Notes.

The underwriters (or their affiliates) may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions, and penalty bids to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Covering transactions involve purchase of the New Notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the New Notes originally sold by such dealer are purchased in a stabilizing transaction or a covering transaction to cover short positions. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the New Notes. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these transactions or that these transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

We expect to deliver the New Notes against payment for the New Notes on or about the date specified in the last paragraph of the cover page of this prospectus supplement, which will be             , 2018. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally settle in two business days, and purchasers who wish to trade New Notes on the date of pricing will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the New Notes who wish to trade the New Notes on the date of pricing should consult their own advisor.

The address of Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. is 68/F, Cheung Kong Center, 2 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong. The address of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, United States of America.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption, and Other Disposition of the New Notes

European Economic Area

Prospectus Directive Public Offer Selling Restriction

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (“Relevant Implementation Date”), an offer of the New Notes may not be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

provided that no such offer of the New Notes shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

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For the purposes of the above paragraph, the expression “an offer of Notes to the public” in relation to any Notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the New Notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State, and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

Prohibition of Sales to EEA Retail Investors

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold, or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell, or otherwise make available any New Notes to any retail investor in the EEA.

For the purposes of this provision:

United Kingdom

No invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) received by the underwriters in connection with the issue or sale of the Notes may be communicated or caused to be communicated except in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to the underwriters. All applicable provisions of FSMA must be complied with respect to anything done or to be done by the underwriters in relation to any New Notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Hong Kong

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been and will not be registered with the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong. Accordingly, except as mentioned below, this prospectus supplement may not be issued, circulated or distributed in Hong Kong. A copy of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may, however, be issued to prospective applicants for the New Notes in Hong Kong in a manner which does not constitute an offer of the New Notes to the public in Hong Kong or an issue, circulation or distribution in Hong Kong of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for the purposes of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Chapter 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong). No advertisement, invitation, or document relating to the Notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person other than with respect to the New Notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

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Japan

The New Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any New Notes, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

Singapore

Neither this prospectus supplement nor the accompanying prospectus has been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the New Notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the New Notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in the SFA) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the New Notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person that is:

the securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the New Notes pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:

Any reference to the SFA is a reference to the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore and a reference to any term as defined in the SFA or any provision in the SFA is a reference to that term as modified or amended from time to time including by such of its subsidiary legislation as may be applicable at the relevant time.

The PRC

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may not be circulated or distributed in the PRC and the New Notes may not be offered or sold, and will not be offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, to any resident of the PRC.

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Cayman Islands

No New Notes will be offered or sold to the public in the Cayman Islands.

British Virgin Islands

No invitation will be made directly or indirectly to any person resident in the British Virgin Islands to subscribe for any of the New Notes.

Other Relationships

The underwriters and their affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advising, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing, and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have in the past engaged, and may in the future engage, in transactions with and perform services, including financial advisory, commercial banking, and investment banking services, for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. We may enter into hedging or other derivative transactions as part of our risk management strategy with the underwriters and their affiliates, which may include transactions relating to our obligations under the New Notes. Our obligations under these transactions may be secured by cash or other collateral. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and/or instruments, its direct or indirect subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments. The underwriters or certain of their affiliates may purchase New Notes and be allocated New Notes for asset management and/or proprietary purposes and not with a view to distribution.

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LEGAL MATTERS

We are being represented by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with respect to legal matters of United States federal securities and New York State law, by Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP with respect to legal matters of Cayman Islands law, and by Han Kun Law Offices with respect to legal matters of PRC law. The underwriters are being represented by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP with respect to legal matters of United States federal securities and New York State law and Jingtian & Gongcheng with respect to legal matters of PRC law. The validity of the debt securities will be passed upon for us by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and for the underwriters by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP may rely upon Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP with respect to matters governed by Cayman Islands law and Han Kun Law Offices with respect to matters governed by PRC law, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP may rely upon Jingtian & Gongcheng with respect to matters governed by PRC law.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Baidu, Inc. appearing in Baidu, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017 and the effectiveness of Baidu, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017 have been audited by Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The offices of Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP are located at Level 16, Ernst & Young Tower, Tower E3, Oriental Plaza, No. 1 East Chang An Avenue, Dong Cheng District, Beijing 100738, the People’s Republic of China.

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PROSPECTUS

Baidu, Inc.

Debt Securities

We may offer and sell debt securities from time to time. This prospectus may not be used to consummate any sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement which will describe the method and terms of the offering. We will provide the specific terms of any offering and the offered securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus before making a decision to invest in our securities.

We may offer and sell these debt securities to or through one or more agents, underwriters, dealers or other third parties or directly to one or more purchasers on a continuous or delayed basis. The names of any underwriters will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is June 26, 2017.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, in the applicable prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus filed by us with the SEC. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates thereof. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell the debt securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the debt securities we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer debt securities, we will provide one or more prospectus supplements that will contain specific information about the offering and the terms of those debt securities. We may also add, update or change other information contained in this prospectus by means of a prospectus supplement or by incorporating by reference information we file with the SEC. The registration statement on file with the SEC includes exhibits that provide more detail on the matters discussed in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the applicable prospectus supplement. Before you invest in any securities offered by this prospectus, you should read this prospectus, any related prospectus supplements and the related exhibits to the registration statement filed with the SEC, together with the additional information described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.”

In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “we,” “us,” “our company,” “our” and “Baidu” refer to Baidu, Inc., its subsidiaries and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial information, our consolidated affiliated entities in China; “China” and “PRC” refer to the People’s Republic of China and, solely for the purpose of this prospectus, exclude Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; and all references to “RMB” and “Renminbi” are to the legal currency of China and all references to “U.S. dollars,” “US$,” “dollars” and “$” are to the legal currency of the United States.

References in any prospectus supplement to “the accompanying prospectus” are to this prospectus and to “the prospectus” are to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement taken together.

We are not making an offer to sell the securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference contain forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “estimate,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, among other things:

The forward-looking statements included in this prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and any prospectus supplement are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about our company. Our actual results of operations may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors disclosed in this prospectus, in the documents incorporated by reference herein or in any accompanying prospectus supplement.

We would like to caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and you should read these statements in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed herein, in the documents incorporated by reference herein or in any accompanying prospectus supplement for a more complete discussion of the risks of an investment in our securities. We operate in a rapidly evolving environment. New risks emerge from time to time and it is impossible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law.

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OUR COMPANY

Overview

We are the leading Chinese language internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, we aim to provide the best and most equitable way for people to find what they are looking for. We provide our users with many channels to access information and services. In addition to serving individual internet search users, we provide an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers.

Our business currently consists of keyword-based marketing services targeted at and triggered by internet users’ search queries, which mainly include our pay-for-performance, or P4P, services and other online marketing services, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled new business initiatives and online video business.

Our Baidu.com website is the largest website in China and the fourth largest website globally, as measured by average daily visitors and page views during the three-month period preceding the date of this prospectus, according to Alexa.com, an internet analytics firm. We are the largest internet search provider in China, accounting for 84% of revenues of the PC and mobile search market in China in the three months ended March 31, 2017, according to Analysys International, a market research firm. We are the top Chinese search engine in terms of combined PC and mobile search page views in the three months ended March 31, 2017, according to StatCounter, an internet analytics firm. In addition, our “Baidu” brand is one of the highest ranking brands in China in BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Chinese Brands 2016, a study published by Millward Brown Optimor, a brand strategy research company.

We conduct our operations primarily in China. Revenues generated from our operations in China accounted for approximately 99.5%, 98.9% and 97.8% of our total revenues in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively.

We serve four types of online participants:

Users. We aspire to provide the best experience to our users. To enrich user experience, we provide a broad range of products and services accessible through PCs and mobile devices. We offer Chinese language search on our Baidu platform that enables users to find relevant information online, including web pages, news, images, documents and multimedia files, through links provided on our website. We launched Baidu Newsfeed in 2016 to offer users personalized newsfeed to meet their personal interests as reflected in their past online behaviors, such as search and browsing, and their demographics. In addition, iQiyi’s mobile application has continued to maintain its industry leadership with 129 million daily active users, 490 million monthly active users, and 342 billion minutes monthly user time in March 2017, according to iResearch, a market research firm.

Customers. We deliver online marketing services to a diverse customer base operating in a variety of industries. The number of our active online marketing customers grew from approximately 596,000 in 2012 to approximately 982,000 in 2016. Consistent with previously reported numbers, the number of active online marketing customers excluded those for our group-buying and delivery related businesses. Our online marketing customers consist of small to medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, throughout China, large domestic companies and Chinese divisions and subsidiaries of large, multinational companies. We have a diverse customer base in terms of industries and geographical locations. The top industries in which our customers operate in terms of revenue contribution include retail and ecommerce, local services, medical and healthcare, network services, financial services, education, online games, transportation, construction and decoration, and business services. Customers in our top five industries contributed approximately 50% of our total online marketing revenues in 2016. Although we have customers located throughout China, we have a more active and larger customer base in coastal regions, reflecting the current general economic demographics in China. Our customers also include local merchants that act as advertisers or service providers covering businesses such as restaurants, hotels and cinemas, and advertisers of iQiyi, who are counted as part of our online marketing customers, and subscription users of online video contents.

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We reach and serve our customers through our direct sales force as well as a network of third-party distributors across China. As many of our customers are SMEs, we use distributors to help us identify potential SME customers, collect payments and assist SMEs in setting up accounts with us and using our online marketing services. We have also engaged third-party agencies to identify and reach potential customers outside of China. Customers use our products and services through PCs and mobile devices. Mobile revenues represented 70.0% of our total revenues in the three months ended March 31, 2017.

Since early May 2016, we have been implementing new measures to further improve customer quality and foster a healthy environment to enhance user experience and drive long-term sustainable growth. We have taken proactive measures requiring all customers on our platform to submit Internet Content Provider (ICP) licenses and verify enterprise bank accounts. The implementation of new and stricter regulations on online marketing and our self-imposed proactive measures will have a short-term impact on our business. We believe these measures will be beneficial in the long term, and we remain confident in our long-term outlook, underpinned by our fundamental value proposition of search and our ongoing investments in technology.

Baidu Union Members. Baidu Union consists of a large number of third-party web content, software and mobile application providers. Baidu Union members can display on their properties our customers’ promotional links that match the content of such members’ properties. Some Baidu Union members also embed some of our products and services into their properties. We allow Baidu Union members to provide high-quality and relevant search results to their users without the cost of building and maintaining advanced search capabilities in-house and to monetize their traffic through revenue sharing arrangements with us. We reward Baidu Union members by sharing with these members revenues as a percentage of total revenues recognized by us. Because we have implemented measures to deliver a better user experience and build a safer and more trustworthy platform for users since May 2016, the revenue contributed by Baidu Union members slightly decreased in 2016.

Content Providers. Our content providers mainly consist of video copyright holders, map data owners, apps owners who list their apps on our app store for users to download, users who contribute their valuable and copyrighted content to our products, and self-media authors such as those who publish their content through Baijiahao accounts. These content providers contribute rich contents and resources to our content ecosystem, and in return we provide a broad platform for them to present their content. If we generate revenue from utilizing third-party contents, we will purchase these contents or share revenue with the content providers based on the terms of pre-agreed contracts.

Technology and people are critical to our long-term success:

Technology. We focus on research and development and innovation. To stay at the forefront of the internet industry and to achieve long-term growth and success, we invest heavily in research and development. We operate four research labs under the umbrella of Baidu Research: the Augmented Reality (AR) Lab, the Silicon Valley Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab, the Beijing Deep Learning Lab and the Beijing Big Data Lab. We established the Baidu Institute of Deep Learning, currently known as the Beijing Deep Learning Lab, in January 2013. We opened the Silicon Valley AI Lab in May 2014, enhancing our research and development capabilities in Silicon Valley. In August 2014, we and the United Nations announced and started strategic cooperation and jointly established the Big Data Lab. In January 2017, we announced the establishment of our AR Lab focusing on augmented reality technology. Since September 2016, we have open-sourced our AI platform “PaddlePaddle” to the global developer community, providing access to Baidu technology in areas of voice and image recognition, natural language processing, and machine learning.

In 2015, our autonomous driving project at the Beijing Deep Learning Lab reached a key milestone by completing rigorous fully autonomous tests under a variety of complex environmental conditions. We have been recognized as one of the leading AI innovators globally after investing in AI for many years. In 2016, we established our Autonomous Driving Business Unit. In April 2017, we announced Project Apollo, our autonomous driving open platform.

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We have developed a proprietary technological infrastructure which consists of technologies for web search, mobile, P4P, targetizement, large-scale systems, AI and autonomous driving technology. Our established infrastructure serves as the backbone for both our PC and mobile platforms.

We have developed a proprietary technological infrastructure which consists of technologies for web search, mobile, P4P, targetizement, large-scale systems, AI and autonomous driving technology. Our established infrastructure serves as the backbone for both our PC and mobile platforms.

People. We have a visionary and experienced management team. Under their leadership, we have developed a strong company culture that encourages individual thinking and creativity, continuous self-improvement and strong commitment to providing the best experience to our users and customers. We value our employees and provide abundant opportunities for training, responsibility and career advancement in our organization.

We have a robust business model:

Online Marketing Services. We generate a large majority of our revenues from online marketing services, including online marketing services based on search queries, contextuals, audience attributes, media and placement attributes and online marketing services of other forms. Our online marketing services generally comprise text links, images, multimedia files and interactive forms. Our P4P platform enables customers to bid for priority placement of their links in keyword search results, and provides customers with wide reach, precise targeting capabilities, highly measurable results and superior returns on marketing spending. We generally require our P4P SME customers to pay deposits before using our services and remind them to replenish their accounts when needed. We also provide other forms of online marketing services, including contextual ads, display placements and online video ads.

Revenue, Profit and Cash Flow. We have grown substantially by focusing on the organic growth of our core business, complemented by strategic investments and acquisitions. Our total revenues in 2016 were RMB70.5 billion (US$10.2 billion), a 6.3% increase over 2015. Our operating profit was RMB10.0 billion (US$1.4 billion) in 2016, a 13.9% decrease over 2015. Our net income attributable to Baidu, Inc. was RMB11.6 billion (US$1.7 billion) in 2016, compared to RMB33.7 billion in 2015. Our total revenues, operating profit and net income attributable to Baidu, Inc. in the three months ended March 31, 2017 were RMB16.9 billion (US$2.5 billion), RMB2.0 billion (US$291.4 million) and RMB1.8 billion (US$258.1 million), respectively, representing a 6.8% increase, a 9.3% decrease and a 10.6% decrease from the corresponding period in 2016. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, we generated RMB4.7 billion (US$683.3 million) net cash from operating activities. As of March 31, 2017, we held a total of RMB90.7 billion (US$13.2 billion) in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments.

Recent Development

Our chief financial officer, Ms. Jennifer Li, assumed the position of chief executive officer of Baidu Capital, an investment firm, in April 2017. Ms. Li intends to resign from her position as our chief financial officer upon the appointment of a successor to ensure a seamless transition of her responsibilities.

Corporate Information

We were incorporated in the Cayman Islands in January 2000. We conduct our operations in China principally through our wholly owned subsidiaries in China. We also conduct part of our operations in China through our consolidated affiliated entities in China, which hold the licenses and permits necessary to operate our websites and provide certain services. Our American depositary shares, ten of which represent one Class A ordinary share, par value US$0.00005 per share, of our company, currently trade on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDU.”

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Our principal executive offices are located at Baidu Campus, No. 10 Shangdi 10th Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, the People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 (10) 5992-8888. We have appointed C T Corporation System, which is located at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United States in connection with an offering of securities registered by the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Additional information with respect to our company is included in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including our annual report on Form 20-F for our fiscal year 2016, originally filed with the SEC on March 31, 2017. See “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” in this prospectus.

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our debt securities involves risk. Before you decide to buy our debt securities, you should carefully consider the risks described in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated herein by reference, as well as the risks that are described in the applicable prospectus supplement and in other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could suffer, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Please see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference,” beginning on page 34, for information on where you can find the documents we have filed with or furnished to the SEC and which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as may be described otherwise in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the debt securities for general corporate purposes.

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EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION

Our business is primarily conducted in China and almost all of our revenues are denominated in RMB. The conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars in this prospectus is based on the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Except as otherwise stated in this prospectus, all amounts in this prospectus that are not recorded in our audited consolidated financial statements have been translated from RMB to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to RMB at a rate of RMB6.8832 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of March 31, 2017. All amounts in this prospectus that are recorded in our audited consolidated financial statements have been translated from RMB to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to RMB at a rate of RMB6.9430 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of December 30, 2016. We make no representation that any RMB or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of RMB into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On June 16, 2017, the exchange rate was RMB6.8097 to US$1.00.

The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar for the periods indicated.

Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our unaudited consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated using financial information extracted, where applicable, from our audited consolidated financial statements or unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements. Our audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.

The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by dividing earnings by fixed charges. The term “earnings” means the sum of (a) pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees and (b) fixed charges, less the interest capitalized and the accretion of the carrying value of the redeemable equity interests of the consolidated subsidiaries. The term “fixed charges” means the sum of the following: (a) interest charges, (b) amortization of debt issuance costs and discounts related to indebtedness, (c) an estimate of the interest within rental expense, and (d) the accretion of the carrying value of redeemable equity interests attributable to the subsidiaries’ unaffiliated holders of those equity interests.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following is a summary of certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities and the indenture, but they are not complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture, which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, including the definitions of specified terms used in the indenture, and to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the “Trust Indenture Act.” The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent these general provisions may apply to the debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of the debt securities will include those set forth in the indenture, any related documents and those made a part of the indenture by the Trust Indenture Act. You should read the summary below, the applicable prospectus supplement and the provisions of the indenture and any related documents before investing in our debt securities.

The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that we may offer will contain the specific terms of the debt securities. These terms may include the following: