Skip to main content

Chinese billionaire Jack Ma tweeted for the first time ever to say he's started shipping 1 million masks and 500,000 coronavirus testing kits to the US

Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma.
Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma.
Ruben Sprich/Reuters
  • Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma announced on Friday his charitable foundation would donate 500 million coronavirus testing kits and 1 million face masks to the US.
  • Ma joined Twitter this month, and sent his first tweet on Saturday to say the first shipment of aid supplies was on its way from Shanghai.
  • Ma previously pledged $14.5 million towards the development of a vaccine against the virus.
China's richest man appears to be following through on his promise to donate materials to the US to help fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma pledged on Friday to donate 500 million virus testing kits and 1 million face masks to the US.
Ma tweeted Sunday to say the first shipment of masks and kits was ready to fly out of Shanghai. It's the first time the billionaire has ever posted to Twitter.
OxyBreath Pro
www.oxybreathpros.com
His announcement did not specify where in the US the masks and tests were destined.
Ma also pledged 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) towards the development of a vaccine in late January. And earlier in March, the billionaire donated a further $2.15 million to the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Australia, again with a view towards developing a vaccine.
Ma is far from the only billionaire to pour money into fighting the coronavirus. Bill and Melinda Gates pledged $100 million through their charitable foundation in February, and the Gates Foundation is funding a scheme to distribute at-home testing kits in Washington State.
The Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative — the philanthropic organization founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan — announced it has formed a coronavirus "task force" and is funding the purchase of new COVID-19 diagnostic machines in the Bay Area, California.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Truth Behind Trump’s Tale of a Harrowing Helicopter Ride and Emergency Landing That Never Happened

The Truth Behind Trump’s Tale of a Harrowing Helicopter Ride and Emergency Landing That Never Happened. By Mary Jones and Ben Emos | Thursday, August  15 , 2024 | 6 min read During Donald Trump’s political campaigns, particularly in 2016 and 2020, he often  employed personal attacks and misinformation to undermine his opponents. In 2016, Trump targeted Hillary Clinton by focusing on her husband’s extramarital affairs, hoping to tarnish her public image. By 2020, his strategy shifted to Hunter Biden’s business ventures, with Trump attempting to discredit Joe Biden by associating him with his son’s dealings. In both cases, the goal was clear: damage the opponent’s reputation through a blend of accusations, half-truths, and outright falsehoods. In yet another one of his colorful anecdotes, former President Donald Trump claimed he experienced an emergency helicopter landing alongside former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. Trump described the situation as a tense moment, suggesti...

Kamala Harris Is Far From An Enigma

Kamala Harris Is Far From An Enigma By Ben Emos and Tony Bruce | Wednesday, September  25 , 2024 | 7 min read Recently, critics have argued that Vice President Kamala Harris hasn’t fully fleshed out her policies, raising concerns about the clarity of her agenda. Interestingly, this critique mirrors rhetoric often used by former President Donald Trump, who is known for diverting attention from more controversial issues. In this case, it could be seen as a way to shift the spotlight away from growing unease around the GOP’s Project 2025 and the more symbolic “eating of cats and dogs” controversy in Springfield, Ohio. Project 2025, the Republican-backed policy framework, has stirred concern due to its extreme deregulation measures and rollbacks on protections for vulnerable communities. Critics of the plan argue that it represents a significant threat to public health, environmental safety, and economic equality. The “eating of cats and dogs” metaphor, while not literal, encapsulates ...

Libertarian Boos Will Be 'Lethal Blow' For Trump

Former President Donald Trump faces a new wave of criticism, this time from an unexpected quarter: Libertarians. By Tony Bruce | Tuesday , May 28, 2024 | 5 min read   Amidst the fallout from his recent hush money verdict and the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search, some Libertarian voices are making it clear that their disapproval could significantly impact Trump’s political fortunes. According to reports, President Joe Biden's team plans to leverage a guilty verdict to launch more attacks against Trump ahead of the upcoming election. This strategy, perceived as a direct attempt to undermine Trump's chances, has fueled anger among his supporters. However, it is the emerging criticism from Libertarians that could pose an even more substantial threat to Trump's campaign. Trump booed repeatedly during Libertarian convention speech (AP) Libertarians, who typically advocate for limited government, personal freedoms, and a non-interventionist foreign policy, have historically had a complex r...