In 2012, an investigation by The New York Times' David Barboza — now The Wire's editor-in-chief — into the hidden riches of the family of China’s then-premier, Wen Jiabao, revealed that they controlled assets worth at least $2.7 billion. Their holdings included stakes in property companies, banks, jewelers, telecommunications and finance. One investment stood out for the substantial windfall it netted the family: a stake in Ping An Insurance, one of the world’s largest financial services firms.
By examining corporate records, The Times found that Wen's relatives and their close associates controlled shares in Ping An that would have been worth as much as $2.2 billion in 2007, the year the company listed its shares on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. A large portion of their Ping An holdings were held indirectly and concealed behind one company: Taihong, which was controlled by Duan Weihong, a wealthy businesswoman and confidant of Premier Wen’s wife, Zhang Beili.
Subscribe or login to read the rest.
Subscribers get full access to:
- Exclusive longform investigative journalism, Q&As, news and analysis, and data on Chinese business elites and corporations. We publish China scoops you won't find anywhere else.
- A weekly curated reading list on China from David Barboza, Pulitzer Prize-winning former Shanghai correspondent for The New York Times.
- A daily roundup of China finance, business and economics headlines.
We offer discounts for groups, institutions and students. Go to our
Subscriptions page for details.