This week, Alibaba Group pledged RMB100 billion (US$15.5 billion) to fund 10 initiatives that promote “common prosperity” in China. Alibaba’s logistics arm Cainiao Network also ramped up its philanthropic efforts, announcing a logistics upgrade in 1,000 Chinese rural counties.
Alibaba’s flagship e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia Lazada saw the number of new users surge on its virtual mall LazMall. Alibaba’s cross-border marketplace Tmall Global aims to recruit 1,000 international beauty brands over the next year, while global marketplace AliExpress rolled out its first batch of contactless, digital self-pickup lockers for shoppers in France.