Jack Ma returns to Alibaba campus, as China moves to boost business confidence

Ma’s visit was his first known trip back to to his hometown since March 2023, when the billionaire visited a school that he established. While Ma resigned as Alibaba’s executive chairman in 2019 and has kept a low profile since 2020, he remains widely seen as the spiritual leader of the company and the face of Chinese entrepreneurship.

His low-key visit to Alibaba’s campus comes at a time when the Chinese government is trying to boost confidence in the country’s private sector, as the world’s second-largest economy grapples with a slew of challenges, ranging from a persistent property market downturn to renewed geopolitical headwinds after US president-elect Donald Trump threatened to levy additional tariffs on Chinese imports.

In a photo taken by an employee on site and shared with the South China Morning Post, a smiling and relaxed Ma, wearing a white cap, was seen waving to staff.

Alibaba, owner of the Post, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.