The trade war between the US and China could last for 20 years, Jack Ma, executive chairman of technology group Alibaba and China’s richest man, warned on Tuesday.
Speaking after China vowed to retaliate against US plans to impose tariffs on about $200bn of Chinese imports, Mr Ma said of the dispute: “It’s going to last a long time, maybe 20 years. It’s going to be a mess. It’s not a trade war, it’s about competition between two countries.”
However, while Mr Ma acknowledged the impact of the US-China trade war, which no one could win and which would affect both countries as well as his company, remained gung-ho about his legacy. “I don’t worry about Alibaba. If Alibaba cannot grow, no company in China can grow,” he said.