Their return to the spotlight confirms the company's short-term strategy of 'sacrificing the general to save the army'.

In a recent interview with Huxiu, when faced with the choice between being an internet celebrity anchor and a business manager, Dong Yuhui resolutely chose the latter. Meanwhile, Sun Dongxu (Dongfang Xiaosun), the former CEO of Dongfang Zhenxuan, returned quietly to the forefront. Amidst the ebb and flow, discussions on Dongfang Zhenxuan's business decisions have once again become the focus of the industry.

The drama of 'veteran return' is also unfolding at Alibaba.

On November 21, Wu Yongming, CEO of Alibaba Group, sent an email to all employees announcing the establishment of Alibaba's E-commerce Business Group (fully integrating Taobao, Tmall Group, International Digital Commerce Group, and other e-commerce businesses such as 1688 and Xianyu), with Jiang Fan appointed to lead and report to Wu Yongming.

Sun Dongxu and Jiang Fan, the former forced into exile as the helm of Dongfang Zhenxuan due to the 'mini-essay' incident, and the latter exiled for three years as Alibaba's 'prince' due to a scandal. Under public scrutiny, they each reached a turning point in their lives. Coincidentally, they both made a significant return to the center of power during the same period.

From turmoil to redemption, both Dongfang Zhenxuan and Alibaba chose their trusted lieutenants and veterans.

01

'Sacrificing the general to save the army' beneath the surface

On November 24, after a year's absence, Dongfang Xiaosun returned to Dongfang Zhenxuan's livestream. The company's official Weibo account posted, 'He's back, he's really back!' Besides the warm announcement on official Weibo, Dongfang Zhenxuan staff also shared the good news of 'Uncle Sun's return' on their social media.

During the livestream that day, Sun Dongxu packed goods in the warehouse alongside anchor Tianquan, joking that he was a bit rusty after a long hiatus. It had been 344 days since Sun Dongxu was removed from his position.

Source: Dongfang Zhenxuan

Choosing to pack and move goods in the factory rather than directly engage in livestream sales was a seemingly casual arrangement but actually contained deep strategic considerations.

Firstly, the aftermath of the 'mini-essay incident' lingers, and livestream sales are too utilitarian to be the best scenario for a return debut. Secondly, compared to glamorous front-stage sales, moving goods in the warehouse is more likely to evoke a sense of intimacy and sympathy from viewers.

After a year of 'invisibility,' Sun Dongxu's return aimed to breathe new life into Dongfang Zhenxuan's waning livestream. His return naturally carried a touch of 'performance,' and gradually gaining audience favor and establishing a down-to-earth persona was undoubtedly the most prudent approach.

Yu Minhong once described his relationship with Dong Yuhui as that of 'Big Head Son' and 'Small Head Dad' and referred to Sun Dongxu as his 'little brother.' From the current perspective, 'protecting Dong Yuhui (son) and sacrificing Sun Dongxu (brother)' was merely an expedient measure for Dongfang Zhenxuan amidst the maelstrom of public opinion.

For Dongfang Zhenxuan, since its independence from Hui Tongxing, although Yu Minhong has gained reputational accolades, Hui Tongxing's performance has surpassed that of Dongfang Zhenxuan. Even in the first quarter after Dong Yuhui's departure, Dongfang Zhenxuan incurred an operating loss.

'Having a reputation without tangible benefits' is definitely not Yu Minhong's style. Hence, on the day of Sun Dongxu's return, Dongfang Zhenxuan's livestream ranked second on Douyin's top sales list, surpassing Hui Tongxing.

Similarly, Jiang Fan's return was foreshadowed beforehand.

In 2020, due to improper handling of personal family issues, Jiang Fan triggered a severe public opinion crisis, leading to the revocation of his Alibaba partnership, a demerit, and demotion. Subsequently, Jiang Fan stepped down from his positions as President of Taobao and Tmall, shifting his focus to the International Digital Commerce Group.

In July 2023, Alibaba's 2023 fiscal year annual report revealed that Jiang Fan's name had reappeared on the list of Alibaba partners.

There were already speculations in the market at the time that it was only a matter of time before Jiang Fan took back Taobao and Tmall.

Furthermore, 'marginalizing' Jiang Fan is merely Alibaba's usual tactic of 'sacrificing the general to save the army.' Amidst business integrations, separations, and personnel advancements, whether it's Alibaba or Dongfang Zhenxuan, business operations remain the primary focus of corporate decisions, with the essence remaining unchanged.

02

Way Out and Value

Jiang Fan to Alibaba and Sun Dongxu to Dongfang Zhenxuan both play irreplaceable core roles.

After graduating from Nankai University in 2007, Sun Dongxu joined Tianjin New Oriental as a teacher. In January 2019, at a critical juncture for New Oriental's Hong Kong listing, Sun Dongxu was appointed to lead strategic restructuring and executive adjustments. Under his guidance, New Oriental's opening price on March 28, 2019, was HK$10.2, rising to a high of HK$43.45 by July 24, 2020.

In August 2019, Sun Dongxu officially became the Executive Director and CEO of New Oriental Online, leading its successful transformation into Dongfang Zhenxuan.

Sun Dongxu is a 'founding father' of Dongfang Zhenxuan, while Dong Yuhui was once just a subordinate under him.

The explosive popularity of Dongfang Zhenxuan is inseparable from the 'four bags of rice,' Dong Yuhui, and most importantly, Sun Dongxu. However, most people only see Dong Yuhui's 'talent,' overlooking the pivotal force behind the efficient operation of the company.

The perfect synergy between front and backstage made Dong Yuhui the soul of New Oriental's last-ditch effort, but once deprived of the group's resource support, Dong Yuhui's 'marionette' nature was exposed.

We witnessed that in the months following Dong Yuhui's independence, the 'knowledge-based sales' that brought him fame also led him to fall from grace. Incidents such as mocking Inner Mongolian steamed dumplings and misreading Marie Curie caused many loyal fans to 'disenchant' with Dong Yuhui's cultural sales.

Source: Weibo

At this juncture, Sun Dongxu, who initially seemed to be 'taking the blame for the boss,' found the perfect timing for his return.

If Sun Dongxu's departure was a silent wait for the right moment, Jiang Fan's departure was a myth recreation, earning him a return ticket.

When Jiang Fan took over overseas e-commerce, the competition was as fierce as it was domestically. Besides established players like Shopee and Shein, newcomers like Temu and TikTok Shop also entered the fray. However, Alibaba's AliExpress and Lazada were on the decline.

After taking office, Jiang Fan embarked on a restructuring of overseas e-commerce, transforming the declining overseas business into a robust growth engine for Alibaba.

Under Jiang Fan's leadership, the 'low-price + full management + semi-management' model was introduced, and overseas e-commerce surged, becoming the fastest-growing business in recent years. Data from Alibaba's latest fiscal second-quarter 2025 report shows that the International Digital Commerce Group generated revenue of RMB 31.672 billion, second only to Taobao and Tmall Group and slightly higher than Cloud Intelligence and Cainiao. In terms of growth rate, international business increased by 29% year-on-year, shouldering the responsibility of Alibaba's growth.

This series of swift rectifications and impressive results smoothly paved the way for Jiang Fan's return.

It is reported that Alibaba's newly established E-commerce Business Group will integrate Taobao, Tmall Group, the International Digital Commerce Group, and other e-commerce businesses such as 1688 and Xianyu, forming an e-commerce business cluster covering the entire domestic and international industry chain.

Source: Alibaba Internal Memo

Today, Jiang Fan not only possesses experience and prestige in Alibaba's core business but also boasts successful practices in overseas operations. For Alibaba, he is now the key figure in bridging domestic and international e-commerce businesses.

Whether it's Jiang Fan's 'marginalization,' Sun Dongxu's avoidance, or their returns to the spotlight, corporate short-term strategies of 'sacrificing the general to save the army' are strikingly similar. Whether their returns can turn the tide remains to be seen.

But what we can be sure of is that both Dongfang Zhenxuan and Alibaba currently need more than just Sun Dongxu reappearing on livestreams and Jiang Fan returning to business core.