From the AFP:

A Beijing appeals court has found top Chinese search engine Baidu.com not guilty of property rights infringement for posting links to websites offering illegal music downloads, state media said Monday.The ruling issued Sunday by the People’s High Court of Beijing brings to an end a case brought by several major international music labels, including EMI, Sony BMG, Warner Music and Universal Music, Xinhua news agency reported.

The music companies accused Baidu of facilitating illegal downloads without their permission and demanded an apology, suspension of the activity, and 1.67 million yuan (222,666 dollars) in compensation, it said.

The report offered no further details on the ruling.

The music piracy market is listed at $4.5 Billion.