A Controversial Rise to Young Billionaire Status
Living a life filled with happiness and luxury, Zhang Zetain seemingly has it all. According to the Chinese business magazine New Fortune, Zhang and her husband achieved the remarkable feat of securing a spot on the annual ranking of the top 500 richest individuals in China. This accomplishment crowned her as one of China’s youngest female billionaires, all at the tender age of 24. Her husband, Liu, boasts a net worth of approximately US$11.6 billion and also holds the impressive 16th position on Forbes’ China Rich List. However, Zhang’s newfound status has not been without its share of controversy. Since her inclusion in New Fortune’s prestigious list, she has faced criticism on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo.
Many online users have expressed their discontent, arguing that unlike other women on the list, such as the wealthiest Chinese woman, Zhou Qunfei, the founder of Lens Technology, Zhang doesn’t fit the mold of a self-made billionaire. Furthermore, the 2017 rankings reveal that four women have secured higher positions than Zhang Zetian, with Zhou Qunfei leading the way, followed by Yang Huiyan, the heiress of Country Garden Holdings, and Zhang Xiaojuan, the Vice President of YTO Express Group and wife of the group’s CEO, Chen Lihua. Despite this, Zhang Zetian retains her distinction as the youngest billionaire among them all.
