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Why China's Xi Jinping needs Jack Ma
Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of tech giant Alibaba, was once synonymous with entrepreneurship in China. But in 2020, he disappeared from public view after criticizing the country’s financial system amid President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on the tech sector. Recently, however, it seems Jack Ma may be back in the Communist party’s good graces. On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer spoke with China analyst and Sinocism author Bill Bishop about the meaning behind Ma’s apparent reemergence and rehabilitation. He appeared alongside Xi at a symposium for business leaders in February, an indication that the Chinese president is trying to engage with the private sector as he works to revive China’s sluggish economy. But is this a fundamental realignment of Xi’s priorities or a temporary reprieve?
“I don't think there's a lot of people who believe that the Communist Party changed its view of private business, which is they're there to be harnessed and managed and controlled,” Bishop explains “But they understand that they need people like Jack Ma, they're not just the best entrepreneurs in China, they're some of the best entrepreneurs in the world.”
Watch full episode: China’s next move
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
China’s next move
As the Trump administration continues to reshape US foreign policy and retreat from global commitments, does that create an opportunity for China to step in? On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer is joined by Bill Bishop, writer of the Sinocism newsletter, for a wide-ranging conversation on China's political and economic landscape under President Xi Jinping and global ambitions in the wake of Trump 2.0. So far, 2025 is off to a decent start for China—the release of DeepSeek sent tech stocks soaring and Chinese diplomats have cast Beijing as a “steadfast” global partner while the US ramps up criticism of European allies. But China’s economy is still struggling from a property market in crisis, high youth unemployment, and the specter of deflation. So what’s next for the People’s Republic? How strong is Xi's hold on power? Will Beijing benefit from US retrenchment and increasing global uncertainty, or will its domestic issues hold it back?
“One of the big goals of the Chinese over the last several years has been to pry the US and EU apart,” Bishop says, “From Beijing's perspective, Trump has just created more space and opportunity.”
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer, the award-winning weekly global affairs series, airs nationwide on US public television stations (check local listings).
New digital episodes of GZERO World are released every Monday on YouTube. Don't miss an episode: subscribe to GZERO's YouTube channel and turn on notifications (🔔).GZERO World with Ian Bremmer airs on US public television weekly - check local listings.
Will America's global retreat open new doors for Beijing? Insights from Bill Bishop
Listen: In seven short weeks, the Trump administration has completely reshaped US foreign policy and upended trade alliances. Will China benefit from US retrenchment and increasing global uncertainty, or will its struggling economy hold it back? On the GZERO World Podcast, Bill Bishop, a China analyst and author of the Sinocism newsletter, joins Ian Bremmer for a wide-ranging conversation about China—its domestic priorities, global administration, and whether America’s retreat from global commitments is opening new doors for Beijing.
President Xi Jinping has consolidated power and control in China, but its economy is still dealing with sluggish growth, a property market in crisis, and the specter of deflation. Yet Xi is confident he can bring the People’s Republic into a new era, pushing through major structural reforms, working to transition to a more high-tech economy, and ramping up territorial aggression in the South China Sea. So what’s next for the People’s Republic? Can China shake its economic blues? Has the Trump administration's foreign policy approach created new opportunities for Beijing to expand its influence? Bishop and Bremmer break down China's political and economic landscape.
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