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For the first time since late October, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma has reappeared in public. Chinese state media on Wednesday broadcast a video message from the 56-year-old man who reportedly addressed 100 teachers in rural areas. Ma announced in the video that she wanted to do more for charitable purposes than before.
“During these days I have been studying and thinking together with my colleagues. Now we are even more determined to dedicate ourselves to education and charity,” Ma said, as quoted in his speech at an annual event held by his foundation.
The founder of Chinese online giant Alibaba had not appeared in public since late October since he harshly criticized Chinese regulators in a speech. Subsequently, there was speculation about Ma’s disappearance.
In his speech at the time, he had said that Chinese financial market controls are hostile to innovation and that new technologies are not appropriate: “We cannot run an airport like a train station,” he said. China’s financial world has “the mentality of a pawnshop.”
In early November, authorities halted the planned initial public offering of Ant Group, Alibaba’s financial subsidiary, with reference to new rules. It should have been the biggest initial public offering of all time. Alibaba was also caught in the crossfire on another front, which is now also under investigation by Chinese antitrust authorities for alleged monopoly offenses.
