The Jack Ma Foundation donates 100 million yuan ($14.14 million) to the Yuhang Charity Federation to carry out research on and preserve the Xixi National Wetland Park at a ceremony in Hangzhou. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

The Jack Ma Foundation recently donated 100 million yuan ($14.14 million) to the Yuhang Charity Federation to carry out research on and preserve the Xixi National Wetland Park at a ceremony in Hangzhou.

"The signing ceremony is only the first step", said Jack Ma, who recently resigned from his position as chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, adding that they will invite leading experts to aid in the efforts. 

"We hope to turn the park into something akin to New York's Central Park," Ma said.

The 11.5-square-kilometer wetland park, the first of its kind in China, is located five kilometers west of West Lake. It is classified as a national 5A scenic site and one of "China's best 10 wetlands".

In 2017, the Jack Ma Foundation donated 560 million yuan to the Zhejiang University Education Foundation in partnership with other funds to support the development of the First Affiliated Hospital of the School of Medicine at Zhejiang University.

"Last time we focused on developing medicine and this time it's environmental preservation," Ma said, "I firmly believe that this will make Hangzhou a happier city.”

Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]