Alibaba Browser Removed from Chinese App Stores... Impact of "Taming Jack Ma"

▲Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Alibaba Browser, which has fallen out of favor with Chinese authorities, has been removed from Chinese app stores, drawing attention to the background of this move. This occurred shortly after President Xi Jinping stated that the crackdown on large tech companies has just begun.

According to CNBC on the 16th (local time), Alibaba's UC Browser has been deleted or its downloads restricted from the Android app stores of most Chinese companies such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and Tencent. However, it is reported that Alibaba's UC Browser can still be searched for and downloaded as usual from Samsung and Apple app stores.

The direct trigger for the removal of Alibaba Browser was a program by China's state-run CCTV. CCTV reported that Alibaba applied hospital advertisements to search keyword rankings, encouraging private hospitals to compete for higher rankings. In other words, it misled patients who might have originally visited public hospitals.

Despite Alibaba apologizing and announcing plans to strengthen management and supervision, it could not avoid regulation by Chinese authorities.

Earlier, on the 15th, at a meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China, President Xi stated, "Our country's internet platform economy is facing a critical period," and emphasized, "We must resolve long-standing contradictions and problems to promote the healthy development of the platform economy," strongly expressing the intention to strengthen management and supervision of the internet economy.

Although the Chinese leadership said the crackdown targets platform companies based on the internet, the consensus is that Alibaba is the main target. Chinese authorities have been applying comprehensive pressure since Alibaba founder Jack Ma openly criticized the Chinese government's market regulation policies in public. In November last year, they indefinitely postponed the listing of Alibaba's fintech affiliate Ant Group and ordered Alibaba to sell its stakes in media outlets such as the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.