Pony Ma’s Online Comment Ignites Discussion in Chinese Social Media

A man cycles past a sign for Tencent, the parent company of Chinese social media giant WeChat, outside the Tencent headquarters in Beijing on Aug. 7, 2020. Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

Chinese social media Weibo went wild when Pony Ma, Chinese tech heavyweight billionaire, posted a comment online. China watchers believe the staggered Chinese economy has finally pushed the famous low-profile Tencent Holdings CEO to voice his frustration.

Ma commented, “This is a really vivid description,” quoting a partial statement of an online opinion piece which stated, “A company can go bankrupt, but it cannot lay off employees; a company can go bankrupt, but it cannot work overtime.”