Woman tops list of China's richest
(Reuters) Updated: 2006-10-11 15:42 Her personal wealth leapt from US$375 million last year, when she was logged
as number 36 in the survey, surpassing appliances king Huang's US$2.5 billion,
according to the report.
Huang Guangyu, GOME
Chairman | Huang, chairman of GOME -- the
country's top retailer of household electronics -- had topped the list in 2005
for the second consecutive year, with a fortune of US$1.7 billion.
The man who started his career with $500 and a Beijing roadside stall hawking
radios and gadgets built GOME into a multi-billion dollar empire spanning nearly
100 cities across the country.
The number of Chinese billionaires on the Hurun list increased to 13, from
seven last year and just three in 2004.
The rise in the number of China's super-rich comes amid a widening gulf
between rich and poor that analysts say threatens social stability even as the
economy booms.
Chinese President Hu Jintao in July called for stronger efforts to tackle the
wealth gap, saying salaries should be market-oriented but that the country must
focus on fairness.
The 500 richest Chinese in the Hurun report are now worth an average of
US$276 million, a 48 percent rise over the previous year, controlling a total
US$138 billion in assets.
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