Jack Ma on China’s rise, its place on the global web, and what young entrepreneurs should do

Alibaba founder Jack Ma was at Davos last week, and in his public chat he said some pretty interesting things. But during his time there, he also sat down for an exclusive interview with Chinese website Sina Tech. In it, he waxed lyrical on everything from the symbolic nature of China’s internet sector to how he thinks China’s young entrepreneurs should view the world.

We’ve translated all the highlights for you here.

On whether the rise of China’s internet sector is a symbol of national success:

Yes, I think the development of China’s internet sector shows that China has made great strides in the thirty years since reform and opening up; China really is reforming. People have lots of opinions about China’s internet, and of course nothing is perfect, but the rise of the internet community in China shows that China’s thirty years of reform have been successful. Now of course everyone hopes things will become even more open, everyone wants to do better. I think that will come step-by-step, and that’s a good thing.

On the Chinese internet industry’s place in the world as it expands:

Of course I think [China’s internet expansion] should not be about making the world understand China, it should be about China participating in the world economy. China should participate in the creation of the world economy, participate in the creation of economic value. If we only see ourselves as a globalized seller of Chinese products, we will not be respected.

On the next big opportunity in China’s internet sector:

Here, the Sina Tech interviewer pointed to an old Chinese saying: even a pig can fly in a strong breeze. He said that over the years the internet has had strong breezes in various sectors that have allowed many new companies to be successful, and asked Ma where in the internet industry he thought the next “strong breeze” could be found. Me responded:

First of all, a pig can fly in the wind, but when that wind dies down it’s the pig who’s going to fall to his death. Because he’s still a pig. What everyone has to think about is how to control the wind, how to grasp that wind and push yourself up. I think we shouldn’t seek the next strong wind; we should make ourselves into people that can fly at even the slightest breeze, people who can soar.