The events in Hangzhou take on a special significance this year - the 10th anniversary of Alibaba. From its humble beginnings in an apartment in Hangzhou, Alibaba Group has developed into a collection of successful online businesses. Its flagship company, Alibaba.com Limited (HKSE: 1688.HK), has become the world`s largest online B2B marketplace for small businesses. In the process, Hangzhou has become a vital hub for e-business globally.

"The celebration of our 10th anniversary is really a testament to the power of Internet entrepreneurs," continued Ma. "These net entrepreneurs are the ones who work hard and take risks to consistently satisfy their customers. We honor their success, and we look forward to welcoming them to Hangzhou next week to share ideas on the rise of e-commerce and the way forward following the global economic crisis."

Alibaba.com-Taobao "Net Products" Trade Fair

Also taking place next week is the Alibaba.com-Taobao "Net Products" Trade Fair (Sept. 11-13 at the Hangzhou Leisure Expo Convention Center), where thousands of e-commerce merchants and buyers will gather to network and identify new products, markets and partnership opportunities. The trade show will take place alongside the APEC SME Summit, allowing online entrepreneurs to combine valuable practical business development opportunities with inspirational and thought-provoking ideas from some of the world`s most accomplished leaders.

The Alibaba.com-Taobao "Net Products" Trade Fair is jointly organized by the Zhejiang Province Committee for Economic and Communication Affairs, Zhejiang Province Bureau of Commerce, People`s Municipal Government of Hangzhou and Alibaba Group. More than 100,000 potential buyers are expected, including some 50,000 Taobao retailers, approximately 20,000 students from Zhejiang Province. Approximately 1,000 exhibiting suppliers will participate in the trade fair, with special zones on the show floor featuring suppliers from Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and India.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group is a global e-commerce leader and the largest e-commerce company in China. Since it was founded in 1999, Alibaba Group has grown to include the following core businesses: Alibaba.com, Alibaba Group's flagship company and the world's leading B2B e-commerce company; Taobao, China's largest Internet retail Web site and a one-stop platform for shopping, socializing and information sharing; Alipay, China's leading third-party online payment service; Alisoft, a developer and provider of Internet-based software solutions targeting small businesses across China; and China Yahoo!, one of China's leading Internet portals.