New | Who’s the biggest giver? Top 10 philanthropists in China and the United States
China’s top legislative body on Wednesday began deliberating the country’s first charity law.
Last year, China ranked 144 among 145 countries for charitable behaviour, in a survey by NGO Charities Aid Foundation. Observers say the new law could go some way to reversing Chinese people’s reluctance to give.
READ MORE: Needy clauses: Would China’s proposed charity law be a gift to the disadvantaged?
Compared with their American counterparts, who gave away their money in support of a wide range of causes including education and health, Chinese philanthropists, most of whom are younger and engaged in the real estate industry, give out little public information about their donations.
Most Chinese philanthropists’ donations may have been conducted through their companies.
Here are the two countries’ top 10 philanthropists last year.
China’s Top 10 Givers of 2015
1. Hong Qi, 59 (361.91 million yuan, or US$55.5 million)
Managing director and president of China Minsheng Banking
2. Tang Lixin, 53 (345 million yuan)
Founder and CEO of Shinesun Group, which does real estate, investment, IT development and furniture
3. Wang Jianlin, 62 (328.97 million yuan)
Chairman of Dalian Wanda Group, China’s largest real estate developer and the world’s largest movie theatre operator
READ MORE: Why China’s rich should do more to help the poor
4. Pony Ma Huateng, 44 (326.34 million yuan)
Founder, president, CEO and executive board member of Tencent Inc., one of China’s largest Internet companies in China
5. Xing Fuping (310 million yuan)
Chairman of Livon Group in Jilin province, which is involved in real estate development
6. Yang Guoqiang and family (283.94 million yuan)
Chairman of Hong Kong-listed Country Garden, one of Guangdong’s largest real estate developers
7. Shi Wenbo, 66 (266.67 million yuan)
Chairman of Hong Kong-listed Hengan International Group, China’s largest manufacturer of sanitary napkins and baby diapers
8. Chen Yuandong (200 million yuan)
President of Western Wealth, a Shanghai investment firm
READ MORE: Who are the biggest Chinese philanthropists?
9. Dang Yanbao, 43, and wife (150 million yuan)
Chairman of Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group, which is involved in coal mining and processing, power generation and oil
10. Chen Jinshi, 53, and family (144.8 million yuan)
Chairman and president of Jiangsu Zhongnan Construction Group, a Shenzhen-listed builder and commercial real estate developer
America’s Top 10 Givers of 2015
1. Warren Buffett, 85 (US$2.8 billion)
The CEO of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway has promised to give away more than 99 per cent of his wealth. He gave US$2.1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway shares to the Gates Foundation. He has also engaged in promoting philanthropy among wealthy Chinese in the past years.
2. Bill and Melinda Gates (US$1.3 billion)
Philanthropy has become the full-time professions of the Microsoft founder and his wife, who have given away more than US$31 billion – more money than any other people in humanity’s history. Their philanthropic trust, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has committed to enhancing health care and reducing extreme poverty globally, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in America.
3. George Soros, 85 (US$733 million)
The investor’s Open Society Foundations gave out his money to promote human rights, including initiatives that protect migrants, women and people with disabilities. More than US$40 million went to safeguarding media freedom.
READ MORE: ‘It’s harder to donate money to Chinese charities than earn it,’ says Alibaba billionaire Jack Ma
4. Michael Bloomberg (US$462 million)
The foundation of the former mayor of New York has launched a US$53 million effort to boost fish populations in Brazil, the Philippines and Chile. It is also involved in addressing tobacco use, drowning deaths and urban innovation.
5. Chuck Feeney, 84 (US$434 million)
The Duty Free Shoppers co-founder and founder of The Atlantic Philanthropies, one of the world’s largest private foundations, has given almost all his money to charity. He has funded academic and research facilities. He also supports efforts to abolish the death penalty, advance racial equality and improve care for seniors.
6. Walton Family (US$462 million)
The richest family in the United States gave out their money to support education and environmental protection.
7. James & Marilyn Simons (US$331 million)
The mathematician and “Quant King” of hedge funds has long focused on math and science education and research, as well as studies of autism.
8. Hansjoerg Wyss, 80 (US$228 million)
Restoring forests in Montana and Washington State has been a key area of the charity project led by Wyss, who also helped rebuild fisheries and fight wildlife trafficking and poaching.
9. Gordon & Betty Moore (US$220 million)
The foundation owned by the Intel co-founder couple gave out US$20 million of a US$250 million commitment to help build the Thirty Metre Telescope, the world’s most powerful, situated atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii.
10. Eli & Edythe Broad (US$202 million)
The couple donated US$25 million to upgrade a business college at Michigan State University, Eli Broad’s alma mater, building on an earlier gift of US$20 million.
Sources: Forbes Chinese edition, www.forbes.com/top-givers
