U.S. President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma after their meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Jan. 9, 2017.Mike Segar/Reuters
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Chairman Jack Ma met with president-elect Donald Trump Monday and discussed plans to create 1 million new jobs in the United States by helping small businesses sell goods to China.
The meeting comes amid tensions between its home country and the incoming administration. Mr. Trump has called for high tariffs on trade with China, accused the country of stealing jobs from Americans and incited political controversy by reaching out to Taiwan. The e-commerce giant was recently put back on the U.S. "Notorious Markets" list, with its Taobao website cited as a haven for fake merchandise, suggesting it hasn't done enough to fight counterfeits. Still, the announcement of new jobs pleased Mr. Trump and he was quick to praise Mr. Ma, China's richest man.
"Jack and I are going to do some great things together," Mr. Trump said in the lobby of the Trump Tower after the meeting in New York.
Alibaba has a significant amount of business tied to trade in the United States and has outlined expansion plans in the country. The company's goal is to be the main destination for connecting international retailers with Chinese consumers. Alibaba plans to create the new jobs by adding 1 million small and medium-sized U.S. businesses and farmers to Alibaba's platforms, estimating that each one will hire a new person as a result of the added commerce.
Higher tariffs, were Mr. Trump to follow through with campaign rhetoric, would depress demand for the AliExpress site, where Chinese retailers sell to U.S. consumers. After the 40-minute meeting, the company tweeted it "wants to create U.S. jobs by helping U.S. small businesses and farmers sell to China's 300 million-strong middle class."
U.S. produce sold on Alibaba's platforms include Pacific Northwest cherries, Washington State apples, and Alaskan seafood.