Editor's Note: Hurun Report released their annual report on the wealthiest individuals in the world. 25% of those on the list were Chinese. This article from the Chinese media introduces a few of China's wealthiest, including the top three: Wang Jianlin of Mainland China, Li Kai-shing of Hong Kong, and Jack Ma, of Mainland China. The most popular method for Chinese moguls to make their fortune is real estate- should be an interesting day for them when the China's real estate bubble bursts!

Wang Jianlin, Li Kai-shing, and Jack Ma are the three richest men in China, according to a the 2015 Hurun Global Rich List released by the Hurun Report.

The list includes 1,577 individuals from over 18 countries worth at least two billion Yuan or more. Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman of Hurun Report, said that, if you add the invisible rich, or those the company missed in t survey, there should be close to 5,000 individuals from around the world with fortunes of two billion Yuan or more.

China's Super Rich

China's wealthiest individuals have a total net of 12.7 trillion Yuan. This is roughly equal to Russia's GDP, and 1.5 times South Korea's GDP. Among China's super rich, 311 individuals hold assets worth more than 10 billion Yuan.

Those in the top ten live in either Mainland China or Hong King. Six out of ten live in the Mainland, and four live in Hong Kong. Half of them are in the real estate industry, with an average age of 66 years old. The youngest are Tencent's 44 year old Ma Huateng, and Baidu's 45 year old Ma Dongmin.

The Top Ten

61 year old Wang Jianlin is currently the richest man in China. 87 year old Li Kai-shing is the second wealthiest. In early June, Wang's wealth reached 260 billion Yuan, more than half of what it was last year, after the IPOs of his companies Wanda Cinema Line Co. and Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties Co. Wanda Cimena Line Co. A-shares rose to 1300 Yuan, and the company's total market value is estimated at 330 billion Hong Kong Dollars.

Li Kai-shing's main businesses are real estate, hotels, and diversification. He has made investments in the United Kingdom in three ports, three stores, a railway group, power companies, gas companies, water companies and so on. In March, he purchased the UK's second largest mobile operator O2.

Jack Ma is ranked third, and is valued at 165 billion Yuan. He is 51 years old. Ma is an active investor in start ups and Alibaba has invested over 360 million U.S. Dollars in the past year in more 33 companies including Guangxian, Huashu, and Youku.

Tencent's 44 year old Ma Huateng is ranked sixth, with a fortune of 128 billion Yuan. As of early June, Tencent was valued at 1.15 trillion Yuan, and Tencent owned WeChat has more than 500 million active users.

Baidu founder Robin Li and his wife Ma Dongmin are ranked tenth with a fortune of 95 billion Yuan. Over the past two years, Baidu has successfully transitioned to a mobile platform, with 50% of the company's revenue from mobile.

Sources of Wealth

For wealthy Chinese in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas, real estate is their main form of wealth. 24% made their fortunes in real estate, 16% in the manufacturing industry, 9% in both IT, and food and beverage industries, and 8% in both finance and investment.

The percentage of Mainlanders who made their fortune in real estate is similar, but three times as many individuals from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas made their fortunes in the food and beverage industry than Mainland Chinese.

There are 529 super wealthy Chinese on the Hurun Report, according for 25% of the world's top billionaires. China has 25% of the world's super rich, but 20% of the world's population. Hoogewerf said, “The Chinese are the world's most successful group of business people.”

Source: QQ News

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Keywords: Richest man in China Wang Jianlin fortune