China has hundreds of billionaires. Meet the country's 21 richest
Only the U.S. has more billionaires than China. Here's how the top rung in the country have made their fortunes
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China has more billionaires than almost any other country in the world.
In Forbes’ 2015 ranking of the world’s richest, 213 of the billionaires are from China. That number is second only to the United States, with 536 billionaires.
The rankings, which were released Monday, included 290 new additions, 71 of which were from China. However, the total number of Chinese billionaires decreased from 242 in 2014.
At the top of the list is Wang Jianlin, who owns China real estate company Dalian Wanda Group. Wang catapulted from 4th place last year to 1st in 2015 at a net worth of $24.2 billion, overtaking Alibaba’s Jack Ma, who was previously number one.
Other well-known Chinese tech company CEOs also made the top of the list, including the heads of companies Tencent, Baidu, and Xiaomi.
Here are the top 21 richest people in China, who have made their fortunes on everything from mining to technology to real estate.
21. Yang Huiyan
www.forbes.com
World rank: #309
Net-worth: $5 billion
Age: 33
Company: Country Garden Holdings
Industry: Real estate
Source: Forbes
20. Lu Guanqiu
REUTERS/Aly Song
Lu Guanqiu is seen during an interview with Reuters in an office of Wanxiang’s headquarters.
World rank: #301
Net-worth: $5.1 billion
Age: 70
Company: Wanxiang Group
Industry: Diversified
Source: Forbes
19. Guo Guangchang
AP Photo/Andy Wong
Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun Group speaks during the APEC CEO Summit, as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit
World rank: #259
Net-worth: $5.7 billion
Age: 48
Company: Fosun International
Industry: Diversified
Source: Forbes
18. Zhang Zhidong
REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV
World rank: #254
Net-worth: $5.8 billion
Age: 43
Company: Tencent
Industry: Internet media
Source: Forbes
17. Lu Zhiqiang
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
World rank: #248
Net-worth: $5.9 billion
Age: 62
Company: China Oceanwide Group
Industry: Diversified
Source: Forbes
16. Chan Laiwa
AP Photo/Matthias Rietschel
Chan Lai Wa celebrating a donation of the museum to the State Art Collections in Dresden, Germany
World rank: #240
Net-worth: $6.1 billion
Age: 74
Company: Fu Wah International Group
Industry: Real estate
Source: Forbes
15. Hui Ka Yan
World rank: #230
Net-worth: $6.2 billion
Age: 56
Company: Evergrande Real Estate
Industry: Real estate
Source: Forbes
14. Liu Yongxing
World rank: #208
Net-worth: $6.6 billion
Age: 66
Company: East Hope Group
Industry: Agribusiness
Source: Forbes
13. William Ding
ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images
Ding Lei, the founder and CEO of NetEase
World rank: #208
Net-worth: $5.6 billion
Age: 43
Company: NetEase
Industry: Online games
Source: Forbes
12. Wang Jing
AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan
Wang Jing, CEO of Xinwei Telecom Enterprise Group, speaks during an interview in front of a painting featuring the late Communist leader Mao Zedong and his Red Army commanders in a meeting room of the company’s headquarters in Beijing, China
World rank: #195
Net-worth: $6.6 billion
Age: 42
Company: Beijing Xinwei Telecom
Industry: Telecom services
Source: Forbes
11. Liu Qiangdong
Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Richard Qiangdong Liu, founder, chairman and CEO of JD.com celebrates after JD.com has it’s initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq exchange.
World rank: #179
Net-worth: $7.4 billion
Age: 40
Company: JD.com
Industry: E-commerce
Source: Forbes
10. Wei Jianjun
World rank: #147
Net-worth: $8.9 billion
Age: 51
Company: Great Wall Motors
Industry: Automobiles
Source: Forbes
9. Wang Wenyin
World rank: #125
Net-worth: $9.9 billion
Age: 47
Company: Amer International Group
Industry: Cable, copper, and mining
Source: Forbes
8. He Xiangjian
World rank: #125
Net-worth: $9.9 billion
Age: 72
Company: Midea Group
Industry: Home appliances
Source: Forbes
7. Zong Qinghou
AFP
World rank: #124
Net-worth: $10.3 billion
Age: 69
Company: Hangzhou Wahaha Group
Industry: Beverages
Source: Forbes
6. Lei Jun
5. Robin Li
REUTERS/Jason Lee
World rank: #62
Net-worth: $15.3 billion
Age: 46
Company: Baidu
Industry: Internet search
Source: Forbes
4. Ma Huateng
www.forbes.com
World rank: #56
Net-worth: $16.7 billion
Age: 43
Company: Tencent
Industry: Internet media
Source: Forbes
3. Li Hejun
World rank: #38
Net-worth: $21.1 billion
Age: 47
Company: Hanergy Holdings
Industry: Solar power equipment
Source: Forbes
2. Jack Ma
AP Images
World rank: #33
Net-worth: $22.7 billion
Age: 50
Company: Alibaba
Industry: E-commerce
Source: Forbes
1. Wang Jianlin
Wikimedia Commons
World rank: #29
Net-worth: $24.2 billion
Age: 60
Company: Dalian Wanda Group
Industry: Real estate
Source: Forbes
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