Where China’s billionaire Jack Ma has surfaced in Australia, the latest stop in the long overseas trips he has been undertaking in recent months. The Alibaba Group co- founder has a special connection with Australia as he was mentored as a teenager by the Morley family in New South Wales.

Ma now maintains a low-profile in China as he had to face a crackdown from the powerful bosses of the Communist Party following his outspoken comments.

The entrepreneur was spotted at a hotel in Melbourne in recent days and was later confirmed to be spending time in the country, China’s Yicai media outlet cited anonymous sources as saying.

Ma stayed in touch with the Morleys and in 2017 set up a $20 million university scholarship fund in his late mentor Ken Morley’s name.

According to a Bloomberg report, Ma has since late 2022 gradually resumed the globetrotting that once defined China’s best-known entrepreneur. He spent time in Tokyo and the Japanese countryside before making his way to Thailand.. After this he was seen in Hong Kong last month where he met finance and tech executives.

In January, Ma ceded controlling rights to his Ant Group Co. fintech empire, which many observers took as a signal that the punishing crackdown was nearing an end.