Alibaba, Pinduoduo slug it out for control of China’s online bargain basement

After facing one of the first serious threats in years to its core e-commerce business, industry behemoth Alibaba is finally showing early signs of turning the tide in its ongoing battle with up-and-comer Pinduoduo. But the shift hasn’t come easy, and there’s no guarantee the tables might not turn yet again as China’s dominant e-commerce company rounds out its first year since visionary founder Jack Ma turned over the keys to a younger generation of new leaders.