World trade should open a new era through technology led by business instead of government, according to Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Alibaba Group.

Such an era would be aimed at benefiting entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized businesses, he said on Wednesday.

Ma made the comments, which drew a round of applause, when he shared his insights at a session of the APEC CEO Summit in Manila.

He said his company was formed to help the "small guys" - those who had no resources, no money, no social networks, no knowledge of technology - to gain more benefits from the world trading system.

Ma spoke of the shopping bonanza Alibaba saw on Nov 11, Singles Day.

He said purchases made through the company that day totaled a record $14.5 billion. The shoppers came from more than 200 countries and 45 million of them made purchases by mobile phones - something he could not have imagined 15 years ago when he started his business.

"This record is not created by Alibaba. It's created by the small guys, the young people, the small businesses," Ma said.

He said Alibaba has helped 12 million companies in China - the small businesses using its website - to sell online and to communicate with their customers online.

"In China, they try to sell and do business online. If China can do it, why can't other nations do it?"

Ma pitched a new world trading system that with the help of technology could benefit small businesses in less-developed nations through cross-border purchases.

For example, he said some tourist gifts from Africa may not be popular with local consumers, but were sought online by international buyers.

He said Alibaba had built an infrastructure on payments and logistics for small businesses globally.

People born after the 1980s who grew up with new technology have the most potential to further develop small businesses, he said.

"For the past 20 years, the World Trade Organization has benefited the big companies and developed countries. For the next 20 years, we should use the WTO to support the small guys," he said, drawing applause in the APEC conference room.

Ma suggested giving duty-free privileges to small enterprises with sales to other countries involving less than $1 million a year.

"We think that no matter what country you are from, no matter what size company you have, trade is a freedom.

"Trade is a human right. Trade should not be used as a tool against other nations. So trade agreements should be led by business instead of governments, and the world economy could start a new era," he said.

Contact the writers at zhaoyanrong@chinadaily.com.cn