Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, during the opening ceremony of the third summit of young entrepreneurs from all over China on September 25, 2020 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
Lyu Ming | China News Service Getty Images
GUANGZHOU, China – Alibaba founder Jack Ma has emerged after weeks out of the spotlight that sparked speculation about his whereabouts as his companies face increased regulatory scrutiny.
Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares rose 5% on news of its reappearance.
In a video posted on Chinese social media, Ma addressed rural teachers as part of his charitable foundation’s initiatives. The annual event, which is usually held in the tourist town of Sanya, makes the Jack Ma Foundation celebrate the achievements of rural teachers who receive cash aid.
“Jack Ma participated in the online ceremony of the annual Rural Teachers Initiative event on January 20,” a Jack Ma Foundation spokesman said.
In October, Ma made some comments that seemed critical of China’s financial regulator.
It was one of the reasons attributed to Chinese regulators pushing forward what would have been an initial record public offering from Ant Group, founded by financial technology giant Ma.