By
His absence has fueled speculation in foreign media outlets, some of which have gone as far as to use the term "disappeared."
Chinese media has maintained a coordinated silence on the issue, coinciding with reports from
Sources close to the situation told Efe that Ma was keeping a "low profile" but "is well" and dismissed rumors that he had been detained by authorities or banned from leaving the country.
Alarm bells started to ring in November when Ma, who has an estimated wealth of
He was replaced by another
His absence from the talent show came shortly after a speech in which he criticized Chinese regulators.
In recent years, several high-profile figures have disappeared from public view after committing crimes or becoming embroiled in disputes with Chinese officials only to reappear months later. A notable example is that of popular actress Fan Bingbing, whose whereabouts were unknown for several months after a tax evasion case in 2018.
Ma appears to be trying to quell further uproar amid
Whatever the situation at the heart of the dispute, Ma seems in no hurry to address the rumors, either personally or via
Both firms have published statements insisting that business would go on as normal while they collaborate with the authorities.
Ma stepped down as the head of
On Chinese social media sites such as Weibo - similar to Twitter - Ma's vast legion of followers are calling for him to clarify his whereabouts, while his detractors have labeled him an "unscrupulous capitalist" who will be "punished."
Just before the abortive IPO of
Putting forward his argument that
Days later, Chinese regulators called Ma and
In recent weeks, both the state press and senior officials of regulatory agencies have warned that financial innovation is a "double-edged sword" and that some of the companies in the sector, without directly naming Ant, operated "in violation of regulations under the banner of innovation, causing huge financial and social risks."
Faced with the onslaught in
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