Alibaba shares soar on reports of potential Xi meeting with Jack Ma

Core Points - Alibaba shares increased by over six percent following reports of a potential meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and co-founder Jack Ma [1][7] - The stock has surged more than 40 percent in 2025, with a notable 6.3 percent rise attributed to the announcement that Alibaba will supply AI technology for Apple's iPhones in China [2][8] - Xi Jinping's administration has historically emphasized the importance of state enterprises while cautioning against the unchecked growth of private businesses [2][5] Company Developments - The potential meeting with Xi Jinping could signal renewed support for the private sector amid challenges such as a property crisis and low consumption in China [5] - Jack Ma, who has maintained a low profile since the cancellation of Ant Group's IPO in 2020, may be experiencing a rehabilitation of his public image [3][5][6] - Alibaba's chairman, Joseph Tsai, indicated that regulatory issues have prompted Apple to collaborate with Chinese companies for AI development [8]