New Economy Forum

Jack Ma Says He Can’t Create 1 Million U.S. Jobs After All

Ma warned the trade war between the U.S. and China can last longer than most people believe. Jason Kelly reports.(Source: Bloomberg)

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Lulu Yilun Chen

September 19, 2018 at 11:25 PM UTC

Updated on

September 20, 2018 at 4:06 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder Jack Ma said his promise to create 1 million jobs in the U.S. is impossible to fulfill because of the U.S.-China trade war, a setback in one high-profile effort for deeper cooperation between the world’s two largest economies.

Ma, China’s richest man, made the remarks in an interview in the state-owned Xinhua news service, saying the pledge made to President Donald Trump is no longer feasible because of the unstable trade situation. Ma and Trump met in January 2017 to discuss how adding small and medium-sized U.S. businesses to Alibaba’s platform would boost employment.