Jack Ma, Alibaba’s billionaire co-founder, has returned to mainland China after spending roughly a year overseas, according to people familiar with the matter.

Ma’s travels have been the subject of intense scrutiny as China’s leadership seeks to regain the confidence of entrepreneurs following years of regulatory clampdowns and Covid-19 pandemic measures that battered the country’s private businesses. The tech titan’s extensive time abroad was interpreted by some in the business world as evidence that uncertainty still clouded the tech sector.