Press invited to meet Chinese philanthropist during SA visit

He arrives at OR Tambo airport on Wednesday 28 March 2012, where he will take questions at a selected media briefing. Media can also attend the two donation events taking place on Thursday 29 March.

Event details

• Interview at OR Tambo - on Wednesday 28 March 2012 at 17:00, where, as part of the official greeting by the Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry, Li is prepared to answer media questions at a selected press conference at the airport
  
• Official handover of donation at Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry in Soweto on Thursday 29 March 2011 (11:00-11:45)
  
• Press conference and official second donation at the Ballroom, Monte Casino on Thursday 29 March (14:00-15:00)

Please email az.oc.snoitacinummocahtil@ahtil to receive media accreditation and indicate which event/s you wish to attend or call Buhle on 011 480 4922. Please note times are adhered to, as the chairman has a very tight South African schedule.

Background

Mr Li Jinyuan, chairman of the Tiens Group in Tianjin, China, returns to South Africa next week to hand over his sixth substantial donation to Ikageng Itireleng Aids Ministry, a Soweto based charity for orphaned and vulnerable children. In addition, at a press conference and charity dinner, he will hand over US $20 000 to a yet unnamed local charity, as the group continues to increase its support of its locally based enterprise, which opened in 2010 in Randburg.

Li, a native of Cangzhou in Hebei Province, is an active philanthropist and through his group, has contributed in excess of US $240 million to various charities in both China and Africa.

According to Forbes' Billionaires of March 2011, he is #993 Forbes Billionaires and #74 in China with a net worth of $1.2 billion. He founded the group in 1995, which today has more than 8000 employees in industries including biotech, education, retail and tourism in more than 190 countries. Tiens net profit in 2009 totalled $438 million, according to a report by the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce.

The multinational group, specialising in retail, tourism, finance, international trade and e-business, has subsidiaries or branches in 110 countries and regions and has established strategic alliances with world-class enterprises from over 20 countries. This includes 500 000 distributors and stockists and 13 branches worldwide, including South Africa. It has 40 branches in Africa and claims to have created more than 100 000 jobs for people on the continent.

Tiens is a member of the international Direct Selling Association (DSA), which represents 45 direct selling companies operating in South Africa. Jean McKenzie, association manager of the DSA South Africa, announced at the official launch in 2010 that Tiens is the only Chinese member company of the DSA in this country.

Kevin Hou, president of the Africa region says the success of the group can be accredited to its passion for people, which is encapsulated in its business philosophy, 'Contributing to society by restoring health to mankind' and its mission statement, 'One World, One Family'.