Alibaba CEO Jack Ma on Israel

[DavidSling]

https://www.facebook.com/

 

[DavidSling]

Israel is One of the Three Countries Alibaba is Considering for Expansion, Says Jack Ma
The Alibaba founder and chairman answered student questions at Tel Aviv University, where he received an honorary doctorate Thursday night
Hagar Ravet22:1303.05.18

On Thursday night, three days after arriving in Israel, Alibaba Founder and Chairman Jack Ma visited Tel Aviv University to receive an honorary doctorate from the institute. During the ceremony Mr. Ma spoke about his experience as an English teacher, about Alibaba’s past and future, and said Alibaba might consider expanding to Israel.

As part of the visit, Mr. Ma met with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the country's Minister of Economy Eli Cohen, and with local companies and investors, including Jerusalem-based venture capital fund Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), of which Alibaba is a limited partner. He also toured Orcam, developer and manufacturer of visual aid devices for the blind and visually impaired, which was founded in 2010 by Mobileye co-founders Ziv Aviram and Amnon Shashua.

Jack Ma receiving an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University. Photo: Amit Sha'al

Israel is one of the three countries Alibaba is considering expanding to, Mr. Ma said Thursday.

Speaking with students at the ceremony, Mr. Ma said that he himself was not a good student and was rejected from higher education again and again. He only became a teacher because his state-funded education mandated it. But after his requisite five years, he was chosen by his students as their top teacher. Mr. Ma explained that at the time he left teaching to gain real-world knowledge he could later impart to his students, but then he came to the U.S. in 1994 and discovered the internet.

The first word he searched for was beer, Mr. Ma said, but he couldn’t find any online information about Chinese beers, so he decided to upload information about China and Chinese companies.

Mr. Ma says he never thought Alibaba would become what it is. With a current market capitalization of over $466 billion and over 50 thousand employees, Alibaba currently trails Amazon as the second largest ecommerce company in the world. When one has over $100 billion, "it becomes a social responsibility," Mr. Ma said.

“We created 33 million jobs in China, and we can create 100 million,” Mr. Ma said, adding that it may not happen in his lifetime, but his predecessors will continue his work.

When asked by a student for the best advice he could give young people today, Mr. Ma said the most important thing is not to be afraid of failure, and to not give up. There are a lot of opportunities in the world because there are a lot of unmet needs, he added. Had he written a book, Mr. Ma said, it would have been “Alibaba’s 1001 Mistakes.”

At the time of its foundation, Mr. Ma said, Alibaba's team was made up of only 18 people, some of them his students. “Today people think we were very smart, but it’s not true,” he said. They were, however, optimistic and ambitious and learned from their mistakes. People looked down on the company because of its weird name, and the company was spurned by job applicants with higher degrees. For that reason, Mr. Ma explained, he does not place much impotance with an applicants' education, and why Alibaba believes in helping small and medium-sized companies.

The education system as a whole needs to change, Mr. Ma said, and children must be taught to tap into their more human side and be more creative and innovative. Alibaba is also looking to hire psychologists and human behavior experts, he added.

Over the next 30 years robots will take over many of today’s jobs, Mr. Ma said, but people under 30 are those who will change the world.

Asked about the best professional advice he was given, Mr. Ma revealed an anecdote from Alibaba's early days.

Alibaba’s first two years were a disaster, Mr. Ma said: the company had no business model and people in China did not believe the internet had any merit. Then he was advised by a certain person to focus on two things—employees, and vision. Taking the advice to heart, Mr. Ma said, he poured his efforts into training teams. Talent development, he added, is what seta Alibaba apart even today, and what it needs to do to continue to exist.

The one thing that is not known in public about himself, Mr. Ma said, is that he is a great singer in the shower, but less so in public. He also likes to paint, he said, though he is not classicaly trained.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3737382,00.html

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

The one thing that is not known in public about himself, Mr. Ma said, is that he is a great singer in the shower, but less so in public.

Everyone is a great singer in the shower, it's the acoustics.

Anyway great to see Jack Ma in Israel, like he said it is extremely impressive how they were able to turn a desert into a forest. China also has water problems in the North, there is a lot of potential cooperation there.

 

[DavidSling]

Everyone is a great singer in the shower, it's the acoustics.

Anyway great to see Jack Ma in Israel, like he said it is extremely impressive how they were able to turn a desert into a forest. China also has water problems in the North, there is a lot of potential cooperation there.

Looking forward to see more cooperation with China, it's close to the U.S in the money investments in Israel

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Looking forward to see more cooperation with China, it's close to the U.S in the money investments in Israel

China should be overtaking the US soon in that regard, Chinese investment overseas is going to balloon massively in the coming years and Israel is known for being a pioneer in many technologies that are of specific interest to China, especially with regards to water management.

 

[somebozo]

Pakistani absolute silence about their best friend being best friend of their so called worst enemy..Pakistani politics are a dilemma and liability for the nation itself..

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

israel today with support of usa,has become an agrressive country threaten the peace of the world!
Russia and CHINA should erace the existence of israel!

 

[UserUnknown2025]

Pakistani absolute silence about their best friend being best friend of their so called worst enemy..Pakistani politics are a dilemma and liability for the nation itself..

Best friend with Israel? How did you come to that conclusion?

 

[Cybernetics]

Pakistani absolute silence about their best friend being best friend of their so called worst enemy..Pakistani politics are a dilemma and liability for the nation itself..

This is not about "best friend being best friend of...worst enemy" this is about development of humanity. China doesn't want to see Pakistan's national interests get hurt(maybe you have a different idea of national interests). I understand the antagonistic view of Israel but relationships between 2 nations don't exist in a vacuum they are part of a deeper web of relationships and dynamics. Think about the implications of what your are implying.

China doesn't conduct foreign policy or strategically plan for the destruction of a nation, this is not part of the way Chinese think about strategy. Cooperation with others adds to one's strength. Nations who cannot be pragmatic will end in the gutters of history, this is just reality. Waging any sort of holy war against any nation is not part of China's ideology, I hope people can be understanding of this.

 

[somebozo]

I am talking from typical Pakistani mindset..

israel today with support of usa,has become an agrressive country threaten the peace of the world!
Russia and CHINA should erace the existence of israel!

Best friend with Israel? How did you come to that conclusion?

This is not about "best friend being best friend of...worst enemy" this is about development of humanity. China doesn't want to see Pakistan's national interests get hurt(maybe you have a different idea of national interests). I understand the antagonistic view of Israel but relationships between 2 nations don't exist in a vacuum they are part of a deeper web of relationships and dynamics. Think about the implications of what your are implying.

China doesn't conduct foreign policy or strategically plan for the destruction of a nation, this is not part of the way Chinese think about strategy. Cooperation with others adds to one's strength. Nations who cannot be pragmatic will end in the gutters of history, this is just reality. Waging any sort of holy war against any nation is not part of China's ideology, I hope people can be understanding of this.

 

[Götterdämmerung]

For all the pragmatism, the Chinese shall never forget what the likes of Sassoon have done to China.

And particularly who stood behind Sassoon.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Everyone is a great singer in the shower, it's the acoustics.

Anyway great to see Jack Ma in Israel, like he said it is extremely impressive how they were able to turn a desert into a forest. China also has water problems in the North, there is a lot of potential cooperation there.

Palestine isn’t just desert dude... the Palestinians have been farming there for thousands of years...

The only thing impressive is Chinese technique of reclaiming desert land in Gobi.

Saw a video where some “engineered” soio was mixed with sand by Chinese scientists and they grow plants in the middle of a fukin desert.

I myself being an agriculturist find it amazing .. and wished same tech could be applied in desert regions of Pakistan..

Only problem? It costs too much .. 4500 $ per acre... too much for small farmers..

 

[TaiShang]

Looking forward to see more cooperation with China, it's close to the U.S in the money investments in Israel

The more trade, the better. When there is a chance to make money, it is stupid to make war . Wish Israel and Palestine will sort out their conflict and will ensure peace despite several Arab (including the Saudis) and Western states (including the US) that would never like to see that happen.

israel today with support of usa,has become an agrressive country threaten the peace of the world!
Russia and CHINA should erace the existence of israel!

Won't happen. But, Russia needs to better keep Israel in check in Syria. That, I agree, including, perhaps, some punitive action through anti-aircraft systems.

Pakistani absolute silence about their best friend being best friend of their so called worst enemy..Pakistani politics are a dilemma and liability for the nation itself..

China is no one's best friend. It can be a good partner, at best, on a pragmatic, win-win proposal. The ideological (including religious) baggage has been long thrown off in China.

China doesn't conduct foreign policy or strategically plan for the destruction of a nation, this is not part of the way Chinese think about strategy. Cooperation with others adds to one's strength. Nations who cannot be pragmatic will end in the gutters of history, this is just reality. Waging any sort of holy war against any nation is not part of China's ideology, I hope people can be understanding of this.

Some people expects China to act like a savior. China can save people from underdevelopment, for sure, if those people are also willing to save themselves.

But China cannot save people from their problems if their problems are irrational, illogical, and unscientific -- like religion texts assigning certain lands to certain people as if gods are in real estate business.

Palestine isn’t just desert dude... the Palestinians have been farming there for thousands of years...

The only thing impressive is Chinese technique of reclaiming desert land in Gobi.

Saw a video where some “engineered” soio was mixed with sand by Chinese scientists and they grow plants in the middle of a fukin desert.

I myself being an agriculturist find it amazing .. and wished same tech could be applied in desert regions of Pakistan..

Only problem? It costs too much .. 4500 $ per acre... too much for small farmers..

I think they are now experimenting on cheaper technologies because the war against desertification is far from over and very expensive, as you say.

It, more over, needs long term dedication under, often, hard conditions.

I think, in any case, what Israel has managed (perhaps by outside help and also on native people's lands) is commendable as a result in itself.

 

[Trango Towers]

https://www.facebook.com/

All business. You dont go to someones house and say you are a shithead do you

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

Pakistani absolute silence about their best friend being best friend of their so called worst enemy..Pakistani politics are a dilemma and liability for the nation itself..

Israel is not China's best friend, we just have business relation as we have with India, Pakistan is China all weather friend that's unchanged.