Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, at the opening ceremony of the 3rd All-China Young Entrepreneurs Summit on September 25, 2020 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
Lyu Ming | China News Service | Getty Images
GUANGZHOU, China – Alibaba founder Jack Ma has emerged from the spotlight after weeks, sparking speculation about his whereabouts as his companies face tighter scrutiny from regulatory agencies.
Hong Kong-listed shares of Alibaba rose 5% on news of its return.
In a video posted on Chinese social media, Ma addressed rural teachers as part of one of his charity’s initiatives. At the annual event, usually held in the seaside town of Sanya, the Jack Ma Foundation celebrates the achievements of rural teachers who receive financial support.
“Jack Ma participated in the online ceremony of the annual Rural Teacher Initiative event on January 20,” said a spokesperson for the Jack Ma Foundation.
In October, Ma made some comments that appeared to be critical of China’s financial regulator.
It was one of the reasons attributed to Chinese regulators pulling the plug on what would have been a record-breaking IPO of Ant Group, the founder of financial technology giant Ma.