Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba announced it will donate 2 million masks, 400.000 coronavirus testing kits and 104 respirators to 24 Latin American countries to help them fight the pandemic.
Former Alibaba CEO and founder Jack Ma announced the donation on his Twitter account, but the company has not yet provided further details.One world, one fight. We will donate emergency supplies - 2 million masks, 400 thousand test kits, 104 respirators - to 24 Latin American countries", said the businessman.
Ma explained that among the Latin American countries included in the donation will be Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Peru.
He also said that his company will take care of the transport from China to America: "We will hurry! WE ARE ONE!" he assured.
Alibaba Group also announced last Friday that it would donate 500.000 masks to Spain to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.
On Saturday, the country also announced a donation of 1,8 million masks, 210 test kits and 36.000 protective suits, as well as respirators and thermometers, to several Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, the Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Ma, China's richest man according to Forbes magazine, stepped down as CEO of Alibaba on September 10, twenty years after founding it.
The businessman and former teacher had made his decision public a year ago, when he stated that, "due to the physical limits on one's capacity and energy, no one can assume the responsibilities of president and CEO forever," so he opted to allow "younger and more talented" people to lead the firm.
However, Ma remains on the group's board of directors until next year. Last year, the billionaire said he still has "many dreams to pursue." "Those who know me know that I don't like to sit back and do nothing. I plan to continue my role as a founding partner in Alibaba Partnership and contribute to the work of the partnership," he said.
Ma is a partner in Alibaba Partnership, which currently comprises 36 partners who have the right to appoint the majority of directors to the group's board of directors. "The only thing I can promise everyone is this: Alibaba was never about Jack Ma, but Jack Ma will always belong to Alibaba," he said at the time.
Source: Reuters
One world, one fight! We will donate emergency supplies – 2 million masks, 400K test kits, 104 ventilators – to 24 Latin American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Peru. We will ship long-distance, and we will hurry! WE ARE ONE!
— Jack Ma (@JackMa) March 22, 2020
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