The Chinese authorities’ antitrust action against the e-commerce giant appears arbitrary, which will not bolster investor confidence in China’s thriving internet firms.
Alibaba and Ant Group founder Jack Ma has become the focus of a regulatory crackdown. Credit: Alibaba Group
HONG KONG – Since the Chinese authorities suddenly halted fintech conglomerate Ant Group’s planned initial public offering in autumn 2020, its parent company, e-commerce king Alibaba, has been facing harsh regulatory scrutiny. On Christmas Eve, China’s antitrust authority announced that it was investigating the firm’s exclusive business practices. And Alibaba’s founder, Jack Ma, recently eased concerns regarding his fate by appearing in public for the firs
Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else.
A weekly curated reading list on China from Andrew Peaple.
A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines.
We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to our Subscriptions page for details.
Millions of Chinese factory owners have been bequeathed a difficult inheritance. AI offers a way to modernize their parents’ low-margin businesses, but only if they can overcome often deep-rooted resistance to change.
The longtime China scholar says that while Trump has diminished America’s reputation, Xi Jinping’s continued overreach means China has failed to take advantage.
Corporate Risk Intelligence for National Security, Compliance & Due Diligence
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.