It’s been quite the ride for JD.com. Founded in 1998 by Richard Liu, the Chinese e-commerce giant recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its online launch. Initially called JD Multimedia, Liu started the business with RMB12,000 (US$1670) of savings, which he used to lease a 4sqm retail unit in Beijing’s technology hub.  The business got its first big break in 2003, during the SARS outbreak, when Liu saw an opportunity to capitalise on the burgeoning e-commerce sector and began sell