More than 150 delegates to the upcoming annual session of China's ceremonial parliament are among the country's superrich. A new report shows that they have got richer, but, overall, there are fewer super-wealthy MPs.
Pony Ma Huateng leads Hurun's 2018 rich listImage: picture-alliance/dpa/Gcmt/Imaginechina
Advertisement
Lawmakers in China's two legislative bodies, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have become much richer, according to the closely watched Hurun report.
It comes ahead of the CPPCC's annual meeting, which starts on Saturday and the NPC's central committee's annual meeting, which starts on Monday. More than 5,100 delegates are expected to attend.
Who are Germany's top billionaires?
Germany has a record 195 billionaires, according to Bilanz business magazine, which has for the first time ranked the country's 1,000 richest people. DW looks at the top six and how the made their fortunes.
The 77-year-old founder of the global German Lidl discount supermarket chain is worth 37 billion euros ($44.2 billion), according to Bilanz magazine - the richest German ever. The first Lidl branches opened in the 1970s around the city of Ludwigshafen, and have meanwhile expanded all over the world. New to the US this year, Lidl is in fierce competition with Walmart.
Image: Lidl
The Reimann family
Bilanz ranks the Reimann family, with its holdings in consumer health group Reckitt Benckiser and Wella hair products, second at 30 billion euros. What started as a chemical firm in the 19th century is now an empire that includes famous brands as diverse as Clearasil, Coty, Jimmy Choo and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Image: AP
Georg Schaeffler and Elisabeth Schaeffler-Thumann
Elisabeth Schaeffler-Thumann and her son George, owners of the Schaeffler global automotive and industrial supplier, and major shareholders of tire-maker Continental, rank third among Germany’s richest families with an estimated fortune of 25.5 billion euros.
Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon
Karl Albrecht Jr. and Heister family
Aldi is a household name in Germany. The family of Karl Albrecht, the head of Aldi Süd (south) and co-founder of the highly successful chain of discount supermarkets, is ranked as the fourth-wealthiest by Bilanz magazine at 23 billion euros. The reclusive Aldi co-founder died in 2014 - but his empire lives on across the globe and competes heavily with Lidl in Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Theo Albrecht Jr. family
Also highly discreet, the family of Karl’s brother Theo, the Aldi chain’s other founder, runs the northern German Aldi stores (Aldi Nord). It is estimated to be the fifth-wealthiest German family in 2017, with 18.5 billion euros. The family also runs the Trader Joe’s grocery store chain in the US.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Weihrauch
Susanne Klatten
Luxury carmaker BMW, pharmaceutical and chemicals manufacturer Alatana, and the SGL graphite maker: Bilanz business magazine ranks 55-year-old entrepreneur and heiress Susanne Klatten sixth on its list of the richest Germans, worth 18.5 billion euros.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Geber
6 images1 | 6
The 2018 report by Shanghai-based Hurun magazine says 153 MPs fall into the super-rich category, down from 209 individuals in 2017. Their total net worth, however, has shot up to $650 billion (€529 billion), up from $507 billion last year.
Pony Ma tops list
Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, chief executive internet giant Tencent, takes the top spot with $47 billion, smartphone maker Xiaomi's CEO, Lei Jun, and Li Shufu, the chairman of carmaker Geely. All three are to attend the NPC meeting.
Among the delegates attending the CCPPC meeting are Baidu's Robin Li, Liu Qiangdong, the founder of e-commerce giant JD.com, and property developer Evergrande's Xi Jiayin, the second-richest attendee with a net worth of $41 billion.
Among this year's lawmakers, 28 were among China's 100 richest people on Hurun's annual list last year.
