Alibaba appeal: Global leaders make time for Jack Ma

Matteo Renzi, prime minister of Italy

Dates: September 4, 2016; April 11, 2016

Places: Hangzhou, China; Verona, Italy

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (second from left) and Alibaba's chairman Jack Ma (left) look at an exhibition of Italian wine during Renzi's visit to Alibaba's Xixi park in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, Sept 4, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited Alibaba's Xixi headquarters during his time in Hangzhou for the G20 summit. They toasted the Tmall Wine and Spirits Festival held later that month.

He invited Jack Ma to attend Vintaly, the largest wine show in the world, on April 11, 2016. Although Renzi and Ma had met five times previously, this was the first time they held an open dialogue. At Vintaly, Ma announced “Wine Day”, the first ever Tmall International Wine & Spirits Festival, will launch on September 9, which in Renzi's opinion will mark a turning point for Italian wine in China.