16 Facts About Zong Qinghou

Zong Qinghou was a Chinese billionaire businessman, and the founder, chairman and CEO of the Hangzhou Wahaha Group, China's leading beverage company.

Zong Qinghou was part of the sent-down movement and worked in Zhoushan at a salt farm.

In 1979, Zong Qinghou returned home upon the retirement of his mother, who was a school teacher.

Zong Qinghou eventually returned to Hangzhou, and only found menial work at a local school due to the low level of his education.

Zong Qinghou headed the embryonic Wahaha business, which distributed fizzy soft drinks, ice and stationery.

Zong Qinghou obtained independence from an early government partner by stressing his links with Danone.

Zong Qinghou resigned as chairman of the joint ventures on 5 June 2007.

Zong Qinghou was ranked as China's richest man in 2012 and second-richest in 2013, according to the China Rich List, published by Hurun Report.

Zong Qinghou served as a delegate to the Chinese National People's Congress from 2002 to 2018.

Zong Qinghou was married to Shi Youzhen, and they had one child, a daughter, Fuli Zong Qinghou.

Zong Qinghou once held permanent resident status in the United States, which he had obtained to make it easier for him to travel to the country and look after his investments there.

Zong Qinghou's daughter attended Pepperdine University in Southern California and was naturalized as a US citizen, but later moved back to China and in 2007 began the procedure to renounce her US citizenship.

Zong Qinghou gained wide support as he played the role of "David" against a French "Goliath" gobbling up Chinese companies.

Zong Qinghou stated that he lived on less than $6,000 per year, attributing his thriftiness to the teachings of Mao Zedong.

Zong Qinghou emphasized cost-cutting measures in his approach to business, describing cost control as a key element in Wahaha's operations.

Zong Qinghou died on 25 February 2024, at the age of 78.