I hope Xi has a lovely trip to The Hague one of these days.
What really happened to Jack Ma?
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Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#12Another (more) interesting question would be: What is Jack Ma actually doing with all the money from private loans against his shares? Buying European real estate?
We probably will know eventually if $BABA keeps its downward trend and margin calls cannot be fulfilled.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#13- note that the official investigation meeting (before he disappeared for 3 months) had state officials from 4 different state departments in one meeting, meaning it was highly choreographed by the CCP - Xi announced more hands-on CCP oversight for all companies in 2020 after a few decades of Wild West-style capitalism. The point of temporary capitalism was to grow the Chinese economy to a Western standard and avoid…
> Xi announced more hands-on CCP oversight for all companies in 2020 after a few decades of Wild West-style capitalism. I don't understand why this considered by some communists as "impure". The communist manifesto does talk about capitalism first and then use the generated wealth for communism.
It’s not even a novel concept. The USSR instituted the NEP to attract foreign investment so it could develop after being invaded during WW1.
Both China and Vietnam have limited forms of capitalism in order to not be blockaded and be allowed to develop.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#14One thing that you learn quickly when traveling the world is how easily one can go from having a good time with your friends, to being in a shitty prison without food, running water or a phone to let your family know if you are dead or alive. I have friends travel to interesting places during times of (relative) stability. To paraphrase one of the guys that I know: "When you travel in some of these places, you exist…
Reminds me of Danny Fenster who is a US journalist being held in Myanmar. His family went many weeks without any sign that he was even alive an the US government seems utterly powerless, or disinterested in flexing their power. He is totally at the mercy of a rogue newly installed government.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#15This is an interesting read - I didn’t know how unsubstantiated a lot of the “sightings” of Jack were… was dumb of him to say what he did, but doesn’t warrant the apparent mistreatment
I fault the press for letting this slide. Most people just read headlines and figured he was alright and their theories were proven false. The press should have for skepticism because they act as the middle layer between the public and the reality of what is going on. They have a responsibility to get us the relevant facts.
These days seems like the press has sold out and seems like they are in someone’s pocket…
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#16>>>“I am puzzled. I don’t know why the press is not more curious about these very curious little stray sightings and a short video clip and nobody speaking for attribution.” Come one, are you really puzzled..... Follow the Money... US Media (and they are Media not journalists) is a for-profit business tied to entertainment, we have seen all manner of entertainment from movies to sports bow to the directives of China.…
But even the non-MSM / alternate online news has let this one slide.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#17I hope Xi has a lovely trip to The Hague one of these days.
Please don't take HN threads into generic ideological or nationalistic flamewar. No, we don't care about Xi [1]. We just care about not having tedious and nasty HN threads, which is what comments like this point to. Plesae don't do that here.
https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
[1] and if you worry that we may secretly be communist agents please see this mini-FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26652363 and the associated "algorithm": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26637365
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#18I think this, in combination with the author's previous article about the moves the CCP have made on Ma's business make it pretty clear what is happening. Ma is being held whilst his businesses are dismantled. Ant is being turned into a traditional bank, Alibaba is being attacked from several directions, Ma's university (a clear source of soft power) is being shut down.
When you then ask where Ma is I would say it's pretty clear - Ma is being held out of the way whilst this happens. There's no point in causing drama whist they're doing this, just hold him out of the way and in about 18 months there'll be nothing for him to come back to. At that point they'll no longer need him, all the businesses will be managed by cronies of the state. So what happens when they no longer need him? If he's lucky they'll let him manage some tiny sliver of his former empire, but I can't imagine them taking the risk of him fleeing and becoming a powerful critic, so I guess most likely thing to do is trump up charges of corruption and prosecute him.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#19I hope Xi has a lovely trip to The Hague one of these days.
I'm torn about this comment. On the one hand it's inflammatory, like dang pointed out; on the other, we're frustrated about the perceived injustice and our seeming powerlessness at the face of it, and this comment vents that in a relatively calm way. I guess dang is right. I'd prefer not to have venting on HN, even if I sometimes sympathize.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#20I hope Xi has a lovely trip to The Hague one of these days.
Please don't take HN threads into generic ideological or nationalistic flamewar. No, we don't care about Xi [1]. We just care about not having tedious and nasty HN threads, which is what comments like this point to. Plesae don't do that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html [1] and if you worry that we may secretly be communist agents please see this mini-FAQ: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=266…
Well Xi is responsible for a lot of bad things, so someone wishing him a trip to the Hague is far from "generic ideological and nationalistic flamewar" but a fair response to what is happening to people that Xi doesn't like.
The only one that is starting the flamewar is you.