Alibaba marks 20-year milestone with pledge to push forward global e-commerce expansion

Alibaba Group Holding’s new executive chairman, Daniel Zhang Yong, pledged to advance the e-commerce giant’s strategies of expanding beyond China, serving domestic consumption and pushing into advanced technologies in a speech at the company’s 20th anniversary celebration on Tuesday.

“We must further advance our three strategies, that is globalisation, [catering to] domestic needs, big data and cloud computing,” Zhang, also the company’s chief executive, said on stage at the Hangzhou Olympic and International Expo Centre. “We also hope to push the reform of the supply side driven by big data, creating new demands for our consumers.”

Alibaba marked its latest milestone with a celebration that rivalled the spectacle of a big music concert. About 60,000 Alibaba staff and guests, clad in white T-shirts with the e-commerce giant’s logo, rocked the venue as they cheered a parade of the company’s various business units on the pitch as well as the performances of invited singers and clients’ representatives. The biggest ovation, however, was reserved for Alibaba founder Jack Ma when he went on stage to address the audience.

“Today isn’t about Jack Ma retiring but the beginning of a succession system,” he said. “Today isn’t about one person’s choice, but the success of a system.”

“Alibaba is just one of my many dreams. I still feel I’m young, there are many places I want to go visit, to challenge,” he said. “After tonight, I will start a new chapter of my life.”