Jack Ma has been “learning and thinking” while he was out of public view.

Jack Ma, the billionaire, founder of eCommerce giant Alibaba Group attended the online ceremony of the annual Rural Teacher Initiative event on Wednesday morning. The Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Group confirmed that Jack Ma attended the online event.

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Jack Ma met 100 rural teachers in China via video meeting and made his first public appearance after nearly three months. Ma had not appeared publicly or made any social media posts after delivering a controversial speech at a Shanghai financial forum on October 24, in which he criticized China’s regulatory system. The speech led to the suspension of a $37 billion IPO of Alibaba financial affiliated company Ant Group.

As Jack Ma’s video was released, it triggered an 11% increase in Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares, which is the biggest intraday percentage increase in the last six months.

In the 50-second video clip, Ma told rural teachers that he has been learning and thinking. The technology tycoon spoke about the importance of education, rural revitalization, and prosperity.  

We’ll meet again after the epidemic is over,” Ma said in the video.

Jack Ma participated in the online ceremony of the annual Rural Teacher Initiative event on January 20.