Alibaba.com, who has 10 million active business buyers in more than 190 countries and regions, also said as part of the announcement on Tuesday that US produce firm Robinson Fresh would be joining the platform on 23 July. That follows a "strategic collaboration" between Alibaba.com and US offices supply firm Office Depot announced in March, a statement reads.
The decision would allow global e-commerce giants like Amazon to join the traditionally China-focused platform. Previously, US businesses mainly bought from small and medium-sized Chinese firms represented on Alibaba.com.
The new tools would also include an online payments system, giving US firms access to new customers in China and around the world.
During his meeting with US President Donald Trump two years ago, Alibaba founder Jack Ma had considered plans to increase the firm's presence in America and help US businesses get access to Chinese customers, potentially creating as many as one million new jobs. However, in September of last year Ma dialled back on those plans, citing the ongoing trade war between the US and China. Tensions between the world’s two biggest economies have escalated throughout this year, but both sides recently agreed to hold a fresh round of trade talks.
