I 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…
What happens if Xi kicks the can tomorrow? How smooth is the transition going to be? China is so massive I cant understand how they dont have multiple power centers bumping into each other all the time.
What really happened to Jack Ma?
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Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#42Another (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.
AFAIK it’s usual practice for billionaire founders to fund their lifestyles with loans taken against their stock. If they sold stock, they’d incur large taxes. A loan avoids that.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#43Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#44imagine how much jacks ass must be gaping after a few months in chinese prison haha
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
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…
The poster did not mention ideology or nationalism. Please don't pretend to misinterpret.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#46Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#47One 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…
Most people are more likely to end up in prison in the USA than they are in China
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#48I 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…
> Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith.
Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#49Re: What really happened to Jack Ma?
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most people are more likely to end up in prison in the USA than they are in China
But not because some government official suddenly decided they should. In the USA, the rules are known well in advance. There might be questionable rules, but POTUS cannot decree a rule into existence and put a bag over your head an hour later.