Alibaba founder and chairman Jack Ma waves to onlookers during a meeting with French President Francois Hollande in Paris, March 18, 2015. (Photo : Reuters)
Millionaire businesswoman and child chess prodigy Kathy Gong became an Internet sensation this week after saying she would love to marry Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba and one of the richest men in China.
Gong, 28, wrote a "love letter" to the married Ma, whom she described as the "most handsome man" in her heart, because of his vision and courage in building Alibaba.
Some netizens, however, were quick in speculating that the letter is simply a publicity stunt as it was revealed that Ma recently made a $100-million investment to the e-commerce industry in Chengdu, where Gong resides.
It is unlikely that Gong wants to marry Ma for his money, however, as she is also a highly successful owner of four businesses, including KG, Inc., which focuses on developing business relations between Chinese and foreign firms.
Gong also serves as CEO of her family's business, an elevator equipment company with an annual output value of over 50 million yuan ($8 million), and is the youngest board member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community.
As CEO, Gong tripled the family company's annual output value and made it one of the leaders in its industry. At the age of the 26, she left the company and started KG, Inc.
"My father started his business when I was 6; he is a tough guy, very tough," Gong said in an interview with the press, adding that he still disciplined her with until she was 19. "Now I am strong, I fight back."
"I was afraid to admit that I am like this (self-determined) because women are not expected to behave like this, women should never be aggressive and they call this being bitchy," she said.
Born in 1986 in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Gong is also well known in the country for being the youngest international chess master at the age of 13.
