Zuckerberg in China: Huzzahs from Users, Hush from Alibaba
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made another stop Thursday on his “vacation” tour of Chinese Internet companies, visiting the headquarters of Alibaba Group. Photos posted on the web showed the 26-year-old chatting with executives at the Chinese e-commerce giant, including Chairman Jack Ma.
The visit seems to have been a source of some sensitivity for Alibaba, for reasons that aren’t clear. Spokesman John Spelich, who is pictured in one of the photos along with Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Ma, declined to comment Thursday on whether or not the visit took place.
Officials at Baidu, Sina and China Mobile have been less sheepish about their meetings with Mr. Zuckerberg, whose visit has generated much excitement among Internet industry executives and enthusiasts in China. Indeed, while the government blocks access to Facebook from within China, many Chinese Internet users have welcomed Mr. Zuckerberg, whose wealth (and his Chinese-American girlfriend) have helped make him famous among China’s urban youth.
