Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma and the country’s top tech executives in Beijing on Monday, in a meeting that signals officials could be steering the country in a more business-friendly direction after a yearslong regulatory crackdown.

Ma's appearance at the meeting signals Beijing's desire to inject confidence into the private sector. Read more at straitstimes.com.

China president Xi Jinping and captain of industry Jack Ma met on Feb. 17 and shook hands, an event that has apparently signalled a possible shift in the country's stance towards the tech industry. Xi said at the symposium meeting that efforts should be made to promote the healthy and high-quality development of the country's private sector.