This was reported by Nikkei Asia, Ukrinform reported.

Ma has registered a new company in China with capital of 10 million yuan ($1.39 million), according to corporate data provider Qichacha.

The main focus of Ma’s new venture is ready-to-eat meals, which are in rising demand in China after long quarantines and people being forced to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ma stepped down from Alibaba Group’s board of directors in 2020 and left operational management. However, it is still considered a partner of Alibaba, which has great influence over the group.

Ma left the country in early 2021 after criticizing China’s regulatory system and lived abroad until the spring of this year. His interest in agricultural technology has been seen in Japan, Europe and Southeast Asia.

In particular, the businessman visited the Aquaculture Research Center at Kindai University in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, where edible aquatic organisms are grown.

The publication notes that Ma had a stake in one of the aquaculture startups through an investment vehicle, and that interest apparently led to the creation of the new food company.

According to Ukrinform, American technology giant Nvidia informed its customers in China that the start of production of new artificial intelligence (AI) chips designed to take into account export restrictions to China has been postponed until the first quarter of next year.

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