Rebirth 2010: I taught Mr. Lei how to make a mobile phone

Chapter 846 Since Yun was born, why was Silent born? (Part 2)

After Chen Mo stepped down from the stage, the host chimed in at the opportune moment:

"Alright! Thank you, Mr. Chen Mo, Chairman of the Beyond Group, for your insightful speech at the forum. Next, let's welcome Mr. Jack Ma, Chairman of Alibaba Group, to give his speech..."

Chen Mo's seat was right next to Jack Ma's, and he happened to see Ma get up on his way back. He patted Ma on the shoulder, smiled, and whispered, "Keep it up..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of Jack Ma's fleetingly somber face as he turned his back to all the cameras.

Amid applause and under the meaningful gazes of everyone present, Old Ma slightly straightened his appearance and seemingly casually dusted off the dust on his shoulder—the very shoulder where Chen Mo had just patted him.

On his way to the stage, Jack Ma mentally disassembled and reconstructed his original speech.

He knew very well that he had to adjust the content according to the local conditions; if he told the story according to the original plan, he would only be in a completely passive position.

While adjusting the microphone height, Lao Ma smiled, but a storm was raging in his mind.

For some reason, when he placed his hands on either side of the podium and glanced at the audience, he suddenly felt at peace and a sense of confidence welled up within him—a foundation he had accumulated over the past decades through countless large-scale events both at home and abroad.

"Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning!"

It is a great honor to be able to express my views on this occasion.

Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The last time I spoke in Davos was in 2010, and my first time attending Davos was in 2001. Back then, as a global young leader, I was just like Mr. Chen who just took the stage—young, ambitious, and full of vigor, but also ignorant and naive…”

The first few sentences were full of metaphors, immediately grabbing everyone's attention.

Old Ma's lips curled slightly as he continued.

"After listening to the speeches of these senior figures, I finally understood what globalization, corporate citizenship, and economics are."
But knowing is only one aspect; how can we put knowledge into practice?
Through observation, through thinking, and through practice!

Now, I'm back!
I believe I have some insights to share with young leaders around the world.

I was very inspired by what Mr. Chen from Beyond said about how technology enables inclusive growth.

If we cannot listen to criticism, then we will not make progress.

In the wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, every company is exploring the future in its own way, and that is the charm of innovation.

It is never limited to a single path, but rather lies in whether it can truly drive society forward.

We just discussed inclusive growth, and the first thing we need to consider is: what is true "inclusion"?

At this point, Jack Ma pointed to his head, using a gesture to reinforce the concept:
"In my view, it is not only about making technology accessible to more people, but more importantly, about providing the right to choose for groups of different classes and with different perceptions."

The emergence of Alipay has enabled farmers in remote mountainous areas to use a convenient payment tool for the first time, eliminating the need to carry cash.

These practices tell us that true inclusive growth requires respecting the diversity of human nature—some people are good at planning for the future, while others are more focused on current needs, and the mission of technology is to serve these needs, not to judge right or wrong.

Different perspectives lead to different standards of right and wrong, so discussing these things is meaningless.

So what exactly constitutes a meaningful thing?

That is the philosophy that Alibaba has believed in since its inception: Inclusivity is not a privilege for a few, but rather to enable 80% of ordinary people to enjoy the convenience brought by technology.

Our e-commerce platform has helped more than 1000 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enter the market, 60% of which are from county-level areas;

Our website is visited by hundreds of millions of buyers every day.

We have created 1400 million jobs directly or indirectly for China.

The company has grown from its initial 18 employees to its current 5.

Fifteen years ago, we went from nothing to our current scale, which is not particularly remarkable.

I hope that in fifteen years, people will not see Alibaba or Taobao, because they will have vanished into nothingness.

Just like fifteen years ago when I was still talking about e-commerce, fifteen years later people will have completely forgotten the term!
Just like how nobody considers electricity to be high technology these days...

At this point, Lao Ma paused deliberately, picked up his water glass, and took a tactical sip.

Everyone's attention was firmly drawn to him, especially Chen Mo's increasingly serious expression, which made him appear even more composed as he continued his eloquent speech:

"In today's world, where globalization and digitalization are intertwined, our biggest challenge is not the speed of technological iteration, but how to find a balance between innovation and risk."

Someone just said that financial innovation should be approached with caution, but we must not forget that decades ago, when credit cards first appeared, they were also questioned for "encouraging excessive consumption," but today they have become the infrastructure of the modern economy.

The original intention behind the creation of Alipay was to make credit an asset for everyone. A recent college graduate may find it difficult to access traditional financial services due to a lack of credit history, but the credit he accumulates through timely repayments is precisely society's recognition of those who strive.

The "moderate forward-looking" approach we advocate essentially gives people the opportunity to hedge against present uncertainties with future certainty. Aren't these rational choices worth encouraging?
Of course, any innovation needs boundaries.

Alibaba has always believed that the core of finance is risk control, and the bottom line of technology is responsibility. We have established a credit system covering 10 billion users, using big data to identify potential risks and issue warnings about excessive borrowing; we have also embedded a "repayment reminder" function into our product design to proactively intervene when users are likely to default.

This is precisely the responsibility that technology companies should bear—neither throwing the baby out with the bathwater nor letting things drift aimlessly.

Our efforts should not be deliberately ignored by certain media outlets; that is unfair.

When it comes to "compliance," I want to emphasize that compliance should not become a shackle that stifles innovation.

When we discuss whether lending is "rational," we cannot ignore a basic fact: there are 6 million people in China with a monthly income of less than 1000 yuan, and their financial needs are often overlooked by traditional institutions.

If we deny the value of inclusive finance to the majority because of the irrational behavior of a few, this is itself a form of "intolerance".

Are there contradictions in the statements of certain individuals?

This reminds me of when Alipay first appeared, we negotiated with various banks, but no one was willing to participate.

When we developed the payment system, we took a huge risk—but if we didn't, there would be no future for e-commerce in China.

It was also in Davos that I understood what leadership is: leadership means responsibility.

At that time, I was determined: if any problems arise in the future, I, Lao Ma, will take full responsibility!
The same applies to the emergence of Alipay this time; I believe it will be successful as well.

Change often comes at a price; you can't have it all!
The first person to try something new always faces the toughest challenge.

Later, everyone realized that while other companies benefited from the support of large corporations, some individual companies were unable to earn their living and instead turned their anger towards those they were supporting.

The world is so big, and there are so many problems. The international community expects to hear more of China's voice, but some people only care about their own little corner of the world.

I think this is very bad.

Alibaba is willing to work with industry peers to promote the establishment of clearer standards – what constitutes reasonable credit demand? How to balance innovation and risk? But this process requires listening to voices from peers, the market, and users, rather than drawing lines with a single standard.

Friends, there are no standard answers in the exam of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Some people are good at using technology to build frameworks, while others are more willing to provide warmth for the people inside those frameworks.

Alibaba may not be the most perfect answerer, but we firmly believe that when innovation is driven by the principle of benefiting all and guided by economic development, the explorations of every enterprise will become a force for social progress.

Benefit the world, benefit the people!

Thank you everyone!

Chen Mo clapped enthusiastically from the audience.

He disagreed with everything else, but he sincerely admired Old Ma's silver tongue, which could "bring the dead back to life and heal bones."

If this guy were thrown into ancient times, serving as a persuader during a war between two countries, he would probably still be able to navigate the chaos of war and thrive even when his country is on the verge of collapse.

After the meeting, Chen Mo and Jack Ma became the focus of media attention, and the two gave interviews to various media outlets at the same time. From the top of the venue, they looked like the center of two vortexes.

"Mr. Chen, a reporter just asked: Given the current situation, is a trade war possible?"

Mr. Ma's response was, "It will never happen," and he stated, "We need to give the other side some time; they will realize that this move is extremely unwise." He believes that if a trade war were to occur, everyone would do everything in their power to prevent it. What are your thoughts on this?

"Only yesterday is certain; today and tomorrow are full of unknowns. I don't know why Mr. Ma is so certain that it's impossible. I believe anything is possible!"

"So, Mr. Chen, do you think there will be a trade war?"

"That's what you said, not what I said. My point is: fight or not, let them fight if they want, and we'll fight them for as long as they want."

Instead of overthinking, it's better to use that time and energy to strengthen yourself and cultivate your inner strength—true strength comes from within!
thank you all! "

After saying that, Chen Mo turned and left.

That evening, CCTV broadcast a special program called "Davos Special Dialogue," which included the speeches of Chen Mo and Lao Ma.

From business competition to clashes of ideas, the two men's "remote dialogue" in Davos added a touch of tension to the forum.

One side emphasizes compliance and rationality, while the other expounds on innovation and inclusivity. Both the media and the public hold differing opinions on the clash between these two ideas.

But no matter how much we talk, the market will ultimately prove us right.

As June came to a close and July arrived, Alipay, like the Ming Cult without Zhang Wuji, was repeatedly defeated by several factions.

Even with Old Ma, the "Feng Qingyang," personally intervening, the decline was still difficult to conceal.

On July 17, Forbes released its latest wealth list.

Among the top ten, there is one name that stands like a nail, firmly embedded in the power structure of Western tycoons!

(End of this chapter)