Chinese tycoon’s US$1.8 million gift to hometown includes wads of cash, TVs and helicopter rides
- Businessman Zheng Daqing flies into Dingziqiao, Sichuan province, laden with money and home appliances
- Benefactor says it would be a pity for village elders to miss out on taking to the skies – though they still had to pass a health check
Zheng Daqing, the 60-year-old chairman of conglomerate Xinjiang Tiandi Group, flew into Dingziqiao in southwest China’s Sichuan province on Wednesday and spent several days meeting villagers and showering those aged 50 or more with gifts, Chengdu Economic Daily reported on Monday.
Mo Lian, the mayor of Dingziqiao town, which administers its namesake village, was quoted as saying Zheng gave away about 9 million yuan in cash and 3 million yuan worth of electrical appliances, including air conditioners, fridges and television sets.
He also used the fact that he had arrived aboard a helicopter to give some of the villagers a free flight.
“Many of our village elders have never been on or seen a plane before,” he was quoted as saying. “Planes are very common, so it would be a pity if they never got to fly in one.”
The free flights were on offer only to those aged 60 and above, and they each had to undergo a health check before being allowed to take to the skies, the report said.
