Meet the Ten Biggest Do-Gooders in the Middle Kingdom
Text by Joana Melo, photo courtesy of zgjrw.com

China has a handful of famous philanthropists, including Jackie Chan, who has given numerous scholarships, and launched projects such as the Jackie Chan Challenge Cup Intercollegiate Invitation Tournament, the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association Jockey Club Beas River Lodge and The Jackie Chan Family Unit, Yao Ming, who spearheaded the Yao Ming Foundation Charity Tour and along with Steve Nash (of the Phoenix Suns) to raise funds for Project Hope, and Jet Li, whose near-death experience inspired him to create the One Foundation, whose goal is to bring a culture of Philanthropy to China.  But there is also another group of philanthropists that is increasingly well known – China’s billionaire philanthropists – who are making major contributions to the growth of this field in China.

Cao DeWang, 65 (曹德旺)

Born in Hong Kong, Cao DeWang is the chairman of Fuyao Glass Industry Group, which provides the glass components for cars such as Audi and Ford.  In 2010, it is reported that Cao DeWang donated around RMB 1.03 billion to charity. During the year of 2010 Cao DeWang’s donations went mostly to aiding the victims of the drought in Southwest China and the Yushu earthquake. He also aided in the construction of a new library in Fuzhou (USD 60 million), and schools and a temple in Fuqing City (USD 46 million), as well as financing several reconstruction projects. In April of 2011 he also gave three million shares of his company (with a market value of USD 543.7 million) to his private foundation named ‘Heren Foundation’, which is named after his father.

Wang Jianlin, 57（王建林）

As the chairman of Dalian Wanda Group，Wang made his fortune in property development, and was ranked number 232 on Forbes’ billionaires list. Currently he owns more than 30 “Wanda Plazas” across China and also runs the biggest movie-theater chain in China, many of them located in the company’s own shopping malls. So what’s he doing with all of his money? Wang Jianlin gave away RMB 1.28 billion (USD 197 million) in cash to various causes in the year 2010. A part of his fortune (USD 150 million) was directed to help rebuild the Porcelain Tower, a historic temple that dates back to the Ming Dynasty in the city of Nanjing. Wang also contributed with USD 15 million towards the relief effort of the Yushu earthquake that occurred in April in 2010.

Lu Zhiqiang, 60 (卢志强)

Lu Zhiqiang is the chairman of China Oceanwide Group (who is part owner of the computer brand Lenovo) in Beijing and ranked 564 on Forbes’ 2011 billionaires list. He pledged a total of USD 58 million in the year 2010. Most of his contributions went towards disaster relief efforts, such as the Yushu earthquake (USD 15 million), the drought affected areas in the Southwest (USD 6 million) and to affected areas by the flood in Jilin (USD 8 million). He also cooperated with the China Art Research Institute to set up the Chinese Culture and Arts Award which recognizes outstanding artists, an endeavor into which he poured another USD 15 million.

Zhou Zerong, 60 (周泽荣)

This real estate tycoon’s business may have its roots in Guangzhou, but it’s branches reach across Asia to Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. Zhou Zerong and his wife gave USD 43 million towards education in 2010, making them the most generous educational philanthropist couple. Zhou is ranked 85th on the Hurun Rich List 2010, and donated 2.8 percent of his total wealth last year.

Huang Rulun, 59 (黄如论)

Huang Rulun is the chairman of Century Golden Resources Group in Beijing, which has business interests in financial services and real estate, including six shopping malls and 16 five-star hotels. In the past five years, he has donated around USD 430 million, and shows no sign of stopping. In 2010, the 59 year-old donated USD 315 million to several middle schools and universities across China. Such generosity and consistency has placed him in second place on the Hurun Philantropy List 2010.

GaoNaize, 50 (高乃则)

Gao Naize has personally given almost USD 36 million in the year 2010. In February of the same year, Gao joined 45 more coalmine entrepreneurs and collectively contributed USD 196 million towards the Fugu County Government. He also has a big interest in relieving poverty and helping employment and water drinking problems in the less developed areas of China. Last year he pledges nine percent to several causes, and he ranked 543rd on the Hurun Rich List 2010.

Chen Guangbiao, 43 (陈光标)

In 2010, Chen Guangbiao donated USD 43.3 million to charity. Over the last year Chen has been actively involved in various charitable activities, providing funds to drought-affected areas in the Southwest, the Yushu earthquake and the mudslides in Zhouqu County. He has also donated about RMB 20 million worth of scholarships and 3,800 computers, totaling RMB 31 million. In addition, on September 25, 2011 Chen donated all the profits of a charity concert he organized to farmers in need of help with their crops and kettle. Chen Guangbiao has announced to donate all of his property after his death (totaling more than RMB 50 billion) and has obtained the China Charity Award for four consecutive years.

Zhu Mengyi, 52 (朱孟依)

Zhu Mengyi and his family have given USD 100 million over the year of 2010. In March of the same year, the Zhu family donated USD 36 million to their hometown of Hainan and later in July the property developer donated a further USD 64 million to various charitable causes. Having now donated 3percent of his wealth to charity, Zhu Mengyi has been ranked 21^st on the Hurun Rich List 2010 with USD 3.5 billion.

Yang Lan, 43 (杨澜)

TV host, who grew up without a TV, Yang Lan was amongst one of the wealthiest families in 2010, along with her husband. She has been the one to encourage philanthropy in China, organizing the banquet in Beijing for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which brought Bill Gates and Warren Buffett together to discuss philanthropy with more than 30 of China’s billionaire families. Yang has the goal of empowering women through her show called “Her Village,” that reaches more than 200 million viewers. In 2005 she created the “Sun Culture Foundation” in Hong Kong to promote philanthropy and education.

Yu Pengnian, 88 (余彭年)

Real estate and hotel entrepreneur Yu Pengnian has now donated all of his assets (RMB 8.2 billion) to the Yu Pengnian Foundation. His charitable work was inspired by his impoverished childhood, and his contribution has now made him the top philanthropist in China. His last donation was valued at RMB 3.2 billion and it shall be used for no other purpose than charity. The foundation, whose efforts are directed towards health, education and disaster relief, has, since the year 2003, aided in funds more than 150,000 cataract removal operations across China and helped establish Project Hope schools in rural areas.