Outside the Wahaha headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on February 26, 2024, following the death of the company's CEO, Zong Qinghou. AFP
The presumed children of Zong Qinghou, founder of the beverage giant Wahaha who died in February 2024 at the age of 79, have scored an initial victory. On Friday, August 1, the Hong Kong Supreme Court ruled in favor of the three plaintiffs by ordering the freezing of an HSBC account containing $1.8 billion (€1.55 billion), recognizing their rights as presumed beneficiaries of this capital.
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Zong Qinghou, once China's richest man, has died
The plaintiffs claim to be the unacknowledged children from a decades-long secret relationship between the late billionaire and his mistress, Du Jianying, a former Wahaha employee. The case pits them against Zong Fuli, 43 (also known as Kelly Zong), the legitimate daughter of Zong Qinghou and current CEO of Wahaha.
