AlibabaDigitalEconomyCustomersandPartnersStrikeGongattheStockExchangeofHongKongtocelebrateAlibabaListingatMarketOpenCeremony

AlibabaGroup’smissionistomakeiteasytodobusinessanywhere,withavisiontobeagoodcompanythatlastsfor102years.Ourgoalistoserve2billionconsumersglobally,create100millionjobs,andprovidethenecessaryinfrastructuretohelp10millionsmallbusinessesbecomeprofitableonourplatforms.The firstofAlibaba’s sixnewcorevalues is “customers first,employees second, shareholders third.”This reflectsourprioritiesandlong-standingbusinessphilosophy:byfocusingoncreatingvalueforourcustomersandtakingcareofouremployees,ourinvestorswillnaturallybenefit.WhenAlibabawentpublicontheNewYorkStockExchangein2014,wewerehonoredtohaveAlibabadigitaleconomycustomersandpartnersfromChinaringtheopeningbellincelebrationoftheoccasion.OnNovember26,2019, forAlibaba’s listing inHongKong,we invited10customersandpartnerswhohail fromeightmarketsacrossfourcontinentstostrikethegongattheHongKongStockExchangeMarketOpenCeremonytosignifythestartofAlibaba’sofficial trading.Thesepartnersunderscore theglobalizationof theAlibabadigitaleconomy,echoingAlibaba’slistingdayontheNewYorkStockExchangein2014.The10representativesfromaroundtheworldinclude:1. SingaporeanshopownerHengMokJoo.Heopenedastorethatispopularamongtouristsinthecitystate’sChinatown

andacceptspaymentwithAlipaytoattractChinesecustomers.Hesays,“NiHao,XieXie,ZhiFuBao”(literallymeans“Hello.ThankyouandAlipayplease”)morethan100timesaday.

2. CuiYun,avillagenurseinAnhui,China.Sheiscalledthe“villagebeauty”becauseshehelpsover400localvillagersbuytopglobalproductsonTmall.

3. ThomValks,aChinese-speakingDutchmanandbusinessdevelopmentmanagerofEurail,whoassistsFliggyusersinplanningrailtripstoEurope.

4. Malaysiandurianplanter Yee Poh Soon,who traverses amountain at 5ameverymorning to find “MusangKing”duriansthatfallofftrees.TheyarethensoldonTmallandFreshippothroughtheElectronicWorldTradePlatform(eWTP).

5. ThaidesignerSalisaopenedastoreofferingheroriginaldesignsofwomen’sclothingonLazada.HerdesignsbroughtNewYorkfashionvibestoThailandconsumersthroughlivestreaming.

6. HalilErdoğmuş is the founderofTurkishmother-and-babyproductsonlineshoppingsiteandstoreebebek. He isdubbed“SuperDaddy,”becausehesellsself-ownedbrandedmother-and-babyproductsviaAliExpresstocustomersaroundtheworld.

7. RwandanfashionentrepreneurKevineKagirimpunduwasthefirstpersoninRwandatobringfashionbrandsonlinetothenation.Shewasshortlistedasoneofthetop10winnersintheJackMaFoundation'sfirstAfricaNetpreneurPrizeInitiative.

8. Chineseparcel sorter YuanWenkai,who independently took the initiative to research smart sorting solutions forhandlingthetremendousvolumeofcross-borderordersduringthe201911.11GlobalShoppingFestival.

9. TanHanwei,aMalaysian IoTexpertwhousesAlibabaCloud’stechnologytohelp local farmersreducethecostofplantingpeppers.

10. DragonboatracingenthusiastWangJiaojiao.ShelivesinAustralia.Sheboughta14-meterlongdragonboatonTmallWorld,whichtraveled8,000milestoSydneyfromChinafordeliveryinjust15days.

UncleDurianfromSingapore:Isay“NiHao,XieXie,ZhiFuBao”morethan100timeseveryday

HengMokJooSingaporeThebossof“SweetMusings”inSingaporeChinatownAmongthefirstbatchofbrickandmortarshopstoadoptAlipayinSingapore

HengMokJoo(MJ)openedadurianstoreinSingapore'sChinatownattheageof57.TherearemanysimilarstoresinChinatown,butMJ’sbusinessisstillflourishing,probablyduetohischeerfulandforthrightpersonality.MJwouldinvitecustomerstodanceifthey,too,wouldlovetodoso.HehasevenlearnedhowtodancetothepopularChinesesong“LittleApple”.HefirstencounteredAlibabadigitaleconomywhenhewasaskedbyaChinesecustomerwhetherhisdurianstoreacceptsAlipay.ThispromptMJtobecomeoneofthefirstbrickandmortarstorestoadoptAlipayinSingapore.HeissurprisedandhappytolearnthatpaymentfromAlipayaccountsfor30%ofhisstore’srevenue.ThestoryofMJ’sdurianstoreisatypicalexampleofAlipay‘sglobalfootprintoverthepastfiveyears.Sofar,merchantsin56countriesandregionsaroundtheworldsupportChinesetouriststopaywithAlipay.AccordingtoaNielsen'sresearchreportreleasedinearly2019,theproportionofpaymenttransactionsbyChineseoutboundtouristsusingmobilepaymenthadexceededthatofusingcashpaymentsforthefirsttime,andamongthemerchantssurveyedthathadadoptedAlipay,nearly60%saidthattheyhadclearlyseengrowthinfoottrafficandrevenue.ForChinesetourists,usingAlipaywhentravellingoverseashasalreadybecomeahabitandacoollifestyle.

ThetopspenderinChinesevillage:

Ibringhappinessto400villagersthroughTaobao

CuiYunDongshanVillageintheJingdeCounty,XuanchengCity,AnhuiProvince,ChinaAhospitalnurseParticipatesinTmalland88VIP

CuiYunisfamousinhervillageforspendingalotofmoneyononlineshopping.Shehashelpedherentirevillagetobuythingsonlinesince2014,spendingtensofthousandsofdollarseverymonth.CuiYunhelpsthe400peopleinhervillagetobuyallthedailynecessities,suchasclothes,washingpowder,farmtoolsandelectricalappliances,onTaobaoandTmall.ThevillagersalsolikethatCuiYunintroducesinterestingoverseasitems,andthishasbecomethesourceofhappinessforthevillage.Theonline transactions in thepast fewyearshasputCui Yun in the14th positionon theTaobao ranking,whichwascalculated based on customers’ spending, participation and credibility. After becoming amember of 88VIP, Cui Yunconductedresearchonallkindsofcouponsinordertohelpthevillagerstospendsmarter.Asoneofthefewyoungpeoplelivinginthevillage,CuiYunbringshappinesstotheentirecommunitythroughhermodernlifestyleandwarm-heartedness.

Post-90sDutchYoungster:

IsellEuropeantrainticketsonlinewithlevel-8MandarinThomValksAmsterdam,NetherlandsBusinessDevelopmentManagerofEurail’sflagshipstoreonFliggyHelpingtouristtoplantheirtripsonFliggy

ThomValks,aChinese-speakingDutchfromEurail,has lovedtotravelsincehisschoolingdays.Whenhe learnedthatEurail’sflagshipstoreonFliggywasrecruitingcustomerservicepersonnelwhocanspeakChinese,hebelievedthathewastherightperson.ThatwashowhestartedhiscareerusingMandarintohelpFliggyuserstoplantheirtripacrossEurope.

ThomisverypopularonFliggy.HeintroducedEuropetotheChinesenetizensontheothersideoftheworld,helpingFliggyusers tocraft themostscenicroute inEuropeaccordingtotheirpreferences. It'shardforpeopleto imaginethat thecustomerservicepersonbehindthescreenisapost-90syoungmanwhoisnearlytwo-meterstall.ThomhasworkedatEurailforfiveyears,wherethesalesoftheflagshipstorehasbeengrowing50%everyyear.Thomhassincebeenpromotedtoamanager,andishelpingtoconnectthetravelroutebetweenChinaandEurope.HesaidthatmanypeopleintheNetherlandsknowsaboutAlibabaanddoonlineshoppingonAliExpress,withlocalshoppingsitesalsoparticipatingintheTmall11.11GlobalShoppingFestival.

Malaysian“MusangKing”durianplanter：

TheduriansonmytreesaresentdirectlytomainlandChina

YeePohSoonMalaysia“MusangKing”durianplanterTmallandFreshipposupplier

AsoneofthefirstbatchofexportersofMalaysianfrozendurianstoChina,the32-year-oldYeePohSoonisfamiliarwithChinesecustomers.Standinginhisdurianorchard,hebellowedtothecamera:"Chinesefoodies,todayIbringallofyoutovisitmymountain!”.Malaysia’s“NationalTreasure”MusangKingduriansaresellingwellinChina,benefitingnotonlythefavorablebilateraltradepolicy,butalsofromtheElectronicWorldTradePlatform(eWTP).

LaunchedbyAlibabaGroup,eWTPaimstoincubaterulesandstandardsofe-commerceandtobuilddigitalfacilitiestohelpSMEsparticipateinglobaltrade.In2017,MalaysiabecamethefirsteWTPoverseaspilotzone.In2019,theChineseCustomsstartedallowingexportsoffrozenwholeduriansfromMalaysia.

Theyear2019marksthebeginningofgoodfortuneforYeePohSoon.Previously,hisbusinesseswhichsoldsmallelectricappliancesfromShenzhenandweightlossproductsfromSouthKorea,bothfailed.Today,at5ameveryday,heandhisstaffgouphilltopickupdurians.Everytimea"MusangKing”durianfallsintoanet,theyusedacombtocleantheweedsanddirtoffthedurian,andthensendittoafrozendurianprocessingplantinMalacca,beforesendingtomainlandChinacustomersthroughtheAlibabaplatform.

"MusangKing"duriancanbeclearedbythecustomsconveniently,whichwasthefirstthinghelearntabouteWTP.InAugust2019,heopenedaflagshipstoreinTmall. InadditiontothefrozenMusangKingdurian, italsosellsdurianicemochiandduriancake.HealsotriedtosellthroughalivestreamingonTaobao,ashetriessomethingneweveryday.

Thaifashiondesigner:

MyoriginaldesignsofdressesaresoldoutthroughLazada’s“SeeNow,BuyNow”livestreamingfashionshow

SalisaCheewapansriThailandLocalfashionbrandSALISAfounderandinternetcelebrityLazadaSeller

InMayofthisyear,asoneofthe24localdesignersinThailand,SalisaparticipatedinLazada's"SeeNow,BuyNow"liveshowinBangkok.Shesatdownatthefashionshowandwatchedmodelswearingclothesdesignedbyher,walkingontherunway.Atthesametime,ontheLazadaapp,userswerebuyingtheseclotheswhilewatchingthelivestreaming.Twelvehoursaftertheevent,Salisahadsoldoutallhernewcollectiondesignedforthefashionshow.ThailandwasthefirstSoutheastAsianmarketwhereLazada launchedits livestreaming,bringingnewopportunitiestolocalyoungpeoplewhowanttobee-commerceentrepreneurs.Salisawasoneofthem.Attheageof25,shecreatedthefashionbrandunderhernamewhenshewasstudyingattheParsonsSchoolofDesign,thebestschoolinartanddesignintheUnitedStates.Atfirst,Salisasharedherbeautyandfashiontipsonsocialnetworks,andlatermovedtoLazada,wherehercareerbegantotakeoff.Lazadabringstoherhundredsofmillionsofpotentialconsumers,andthelivestreaminghelpstoattractnewusers,withtheplatform'sBusinessAdvisorfeaturehelpinghertoanalyzeconsumers’preferences.AsofSeptember2019,Salisa'ssalesontheLazadaplatformhadincreasedbymorethan200%year-on-year.Inadditiontolocalbuyers,SALISA’sofficialwebsitealsoreceivedordersfromIndonesia,MalaysiaandeventheUnitedStates.Alibaba'sglobalizationhasextendedthereachofe-commerce,andthehugesynergyamongvariousbusinessunitswithin the Alibaba digital economy has also brought enormous potential in terms of sales channels for independentdesignerbrandslikeSalisa’s.SheislookingforwardtofurtherdeepeningcooperationwiththeAlibabadigitaleconomythroughLazada.

“SuperDaddy”inTurkey:

Babiesinover200countriesandregionsareusingthemilkbottlethatIproducedHalilErdoğmuşTurkeyThefounderofebebek,Turkey'sfirstlocalmother-and-babyproductsonlineshoppingplatformOverseasmerchantofAliExpress

HalilErdoğmuşisthefounderandCEOofebebek,awell-knownmother-and-babyproductsonlineshoppingplatforminTurkey.Nineteenyearsago,whenHalilbecameafather,hefoundthattherewasalackofinformationformothersandbabies inTurkey.Asaresult,he foundedbebek.comtofill thevoid. Nowadays,bebek.comhastransformedfromaninformationportal tobecomeTurkey’sbiggestmotherandbabyproductsonlineshoppingbrandebebek.ebebekhasmorethan2,300employeesand154storesin52provincesinTurkey,andamarketshareofmorethan50%.Halilisalsonamed"SuperDaddy"bythemediainTurkey.ebebekstarteditsglobalexpansionin2018,butthevolumeoforderstheyreceivedwaslower-than-expectedduetolowbrandawareness.Theturningpointcameinearly2019whenHalilvisitedAliExpressonlineandwasimpressedbyit.Atthattime,AliExpresshadalreadycoveredmorethan200countriesandregionsaroundtheworld,servedmorethan150millionconsumers,andhelpedmerchantstosellgoodstoglobalmarkets.TurkeywasamongthefirstfourcountriesthatconnectedwithAliExpress.Atthebeginningof2019,ebebekopenedastoreonAliExpress,whichquicklyopenedupitsmarketglobally.Haliladmittedthattheexperience-sharingbyChinesesellerswhoflewtoIstanbul,one-on-onecustomerserviceonlinechatroom,andstep-by-steptrainingprovidedbythirdpartyoperators,wereveryusefulandhelpedhimtoexploretheChinesemarket.ebebekhassolditsproductstonearly200countriesandregionsaroundtheworldthroughAliExpress.TherearemoreandmoreTurkishSMEsgoingglobal,andebebekisatypicalexampleofthesecompanies.Hometextiles,clothingandaccessories, jewelry, carpets andother Turkish goodshavebecome themost popular goods among global buyers onAliExpress.

AfricanFashionEntrepreneur:

IamthefirstinRwandatobringfootwearstoreonlineKevineKagirimpunduRwandanFounderofUzuriK&Y,afootwearbrandinRwandaOneofthetop10winnersintheJackMaFoundationAfricaNetpreneurPrizeInitiative

KevineKagirimpundu,whohailsfromRwanda,speaksfluentEnglish,ischeerfulandconfident,andisnotonlyfashionable,buthasalsostartedacareer infashion.Shewasselectedasoneofthetop10winners intheAfricaNetpreneurPrizeInitiativeorganizedbyJackMaFoundation,withherfootwearbrandUzuriK&Y,inearlyNovember2019.Foundedin2013,UzuriK&YhadbeenoperatingofflineandservinglocalcustomersbeforeitfoundAlibaba.InOctober2018,RwandalaunchedAlibaba'sElectronicWorldTradePlatform(eWTP).Thefollowingyear,KevinevisitedHangzhoutolearninAlibaba’sheadquarterfor2weeksandalsovisitedTaobaoVillage.Thetriphadbeenaneye-openerforKevine.UponherreturntoRwanda,the27-year-oldmadeaseriesofchanges:shemovedherbusinessonlineandbecamethefirstonlinefashionbrandinRwanda,wherecash-on-deliverystilldominatede-commerceinAfrica.Heronlineshopwasthefirstonethatrequiredpaymentinadvanceofdelivery.Thisinnovativeapproachhelpedtosignificantlyreduceoperatingcost,andasaresult,Kevinestartedmakingaprofitsixmonthsafterherstorewentonline.Inorder to replicatemore successful cases likeKevine’s,AlibabaBusinessSchoolopened theundergraduateclass forRwandanstudents inSeptember2019,under thecooperation frameworkofeWTP.Twenty twoyoungRwandansarecurrentlyreceivingafour-yearprofessionaleducationprogrammeoncross-bordere-commerceinHangzhou.Kevineispleasedtoofferinternshipopportunitiesforthesestudents.

Frontlineparcelsortertransformsintoadigitalexpert:

IndependentlyresearchedsmartsortingsolutionsforhandlingthetremendousordersonTmall11.11GlobalShoppingFestival

YuanWenkaiGuangzhou,ChinaInchargeof4PX’slogisticswarehousePartnerofCainiaoNetworks

YuanWenkaigraduatedfromageneralvocationalschoolinGuangdongProvincefiveyearsago.Hejoined4PXlogisticscompanyasaparcelsorter,responsibleforthewarehousing,sortinganddeliveryofparcels.Manypeoplemaythinkthereisn’tmuchroomforcareerdevelopmentinlogistics,butYuanWenkaithinksotherwise.4PXprovides international logistics services.Parcels are collected inmainlandChina,delivered toSingaporePost anddistributedtotheworld.AsthelogisticssystemwasonlyinEnglishlanguage,nooneintheteamwaswillingtouseit.AlthoughYuanWenkaiwasn’tfluentinEnglish,hepushedhimselftobecomethemanagementexpertofthissystem.Notonlydidheovercomethelanguageissue,hedelvedintoexploringhowtouseautomationequipmenttooptimizeworkefficiencyinvariousaspectsincludingparcelsortinganddeliveryroute.At27yearsofage,YuanWenkaihasraisedthesortingcapacityby20,000ordersperhourthroughhisownresearch,whichcould handle the surge of cross-border logistics orders resulting from Tmall 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. He hastransformedfromanordinaryworkerintoanautomationexpert.Geniusesaremadebyaccumulationofperseverance,diligenceandselflessness.

IoTexpertfarmspeppers:

IncreasestheincomeoffarmersinMalaysiaby20%usingcloudcomputingTanHanWeiSelangor,MalaysiaIoTexpertofAtilze,anInternetofThingscompanyCreatedasmartagriculturalserviceplatformonAlibabaCloud

Withoutgivenahint,youwillprobablynotbeabletoguessthattheyoungmanintheblackT-shirtholdingpepperswithhispantsrolledup,isanIoTexpertinanInternetofThingstechnologycompany.Peppers isamaincashcrop inMalaysia,but itsplantingprocess isextremelychallenging.Traditional fertilizationandirrigationrequirefarmerstostayinthefarmallday.Inthesixmonthsofgrowthcycle,farmershavetocloselymonitorthepHandfertilizerratioofthesoil.Evenaslightdeviationwillaffecttheharvest.Lastyear,TanHanWeidecidedtousetechnologytoimprovefarmingmethods,helpingtomakefarmers,whoalwaysneededtobenddowntofacethesoilallday,morecomfortable.Atechnicalteamoffivestudiedthesoilandfertilizerratiointhefielddayandnight.WiththesupportofAlibabaCloud,asmartagriculturalsystemwasdevelopedforthefarm.Afterhalfayear,theamountoffarmfertilizerusedwasreducedby30%,andtheincomeoffarmersincreasedby20%.Now, this system can be applied tomore cash crops such as cucumber and eggplant. Outside ofMalaysia, farms inIndonesia,SingaporeandDubaihavealsobeguntousethesystem.TanHanWeisaidthatagricultureisimportanttoeverycountryintheworld.WemustworkcloselywithAlibabaCloudtoimprovetraditionalagricultureandimprovethelivesoffarmersandthequalityofcrops.

LongingforDragonBoatFestivalfromadistanceof8,000km:

DragonboatorderedonTaobaofromHangzhoutoAustraliawithoutdeliveryfeeWangJiaojiaoSydney,AustraliaDragon-boatraceenthusiastBuyeronTaobao&TmallWorld

WangJiaojiao,whomovedtoSydneyinherearlyyears,foundthatdragonboatisverypopularinAustralia,butveryfewknew that the sport originated inChina.As a dragon-boat enthusiast,Wang felt a senseofmission to competewithforeignersandspreadtheChinesetraditionalculture,byjoiningtheclubthere.However,wordscannotdescribeJiaojiao’sremarkablefeat,whichsheisfamousfor.Shewasawarethatatailor-madedragonboatforthecompetitioncanbepurchasedfromGermanyforRMB300,000,withthreemonths’delivery.JiaojiaowasoftheopinionthatChina’sdragonboatwasbestmadeinChina,sosheordereditonTaobao.CraftsmenatHangzhou’sQiandaoLakedesignedandtailormadea14-metrelongdragonboatforWang’steam.Thepricewasonlya-tenthoftheonefromGermany,withnodeliveryfee.Itonlytookaround15daysforthisdragonboat,weighing600pounds,toarriveinSydney.HerteammatesinAustraliaexclaimedwhileapplauding,“Thisdragonboatwillbringgoodlucktotheteaminthecompetition!”