Zhong Shanshan Discusses the Negative Image of Being the Richest in China After Previously Being Cyberbullied.

The wealthiest man in China, Zhong Shuang, who keeps a low profile but has recently been targeted online, recently gave an interview on CCTV, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party. He openly admitted that being the wealthiest in China comes with negative connotations and expressed his desire to break free from the “curse” of being the wealthiest, waiting for “dawn” to arrive. Insiders familiar with the situation believe that CCTV’s high-profile invitation to Zhong Shuang is intended to portray him as a “lifeline” and create an illusion that the CCP is still supporting private enterprises.

After the Third Plenum of the Communist Party of China, party leader Xi Jinping, in a rare move during a meeting with non-party members, acknowledged the difficulties and problems facing China’s economic development.

As the political environment and economic situation in China rapidly deteriorate and private enterprises struggle, with many business owners choosing to leave the country or adopt a “lying flat” attitude, CCTV’s high-profile interview with Zhong Shuang, the Chinese billionaire and chairman of Nongfu Spring, who was previously targeted by online trolls, has attracted significant attention with his rare candid remarks.

On August 10, Zhong Shuang was interviewed on the economy channel of CCTV in a program called “Dialogue,” which lasted about an hour. During the interview, the host mentioned Zhong Shuang becoming China’s wealthiest once again. Zhong Shuang responded, “I live my life as usual, I haven’t changed,” but he emphasized, “However, being the wealthiest carries negative connotations in our country.”

Zhong Shuang stated that being the wealthiest in China carries a certain negativity, citing the recent online storm as an example.

In February this year, Wahaha’s founder, Zong Qinghou, passed away, followed by Nongfu Spring facing online attacks from Chinese nationalist netizens, accusing the company of being pro-Japan and unpatriotic, leading to a sharp decline in stock prices and sales, with the market value evaporating by over 20 billion yuan (approximately 2.79 billion dollars). Zhong Shuang publicly expressed on Weibo, “Because I was inexplicably targeted by online trolls, which impacted my mother, and it worried me, she passed away on March 11.”

Zhong Shuang also shared his attitude towards online attacks, saying, “Let them attack. I suspect that this time around, the defamation on the internet against me will never get cleansed, let it be.” He emphasized, “I have my own ideals because eventually, the day will dawn; it’s just a bit late, as long as I can hold on until dawn. Because many people can’t hold on until dawn, they jump off buildings, but I can.” The host also agreed, saying, “We have to wait for the day when the truth appears.”

Former member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Qinghai Provincial Political Consultative Conference and private entrepreneur Wang Ruiqin told Epoch Times that in today’s distorted values, “some Chinese people envy, envy and hate the wealthy.” The online attacks on the wealthiest individuals may not stop as long as this anti-wealth sentiment prevails.
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