Midea founder He Xiangjian, 77 - ranked 45th on the Forbes Rich List with a fortune of over $ 24 billion - was approached by five people at his home in the city of Foshan, in the southern province of Guangdong, Sunday.
Few additional details were provided by the police. However, the Securities Times, an economic newspaper owned by the Communist Party spokesperson, The People's Daily, said that the first phone call had said that the attackers may have been carrying explosive devices.
A police statement did not directly confirm that he was the target, only saying that he was a victim nicknamed "He". However, Midea later released a statement thanking the police on the company's Weibo social media account.
According to the Chinese public television channel CGTN, the police were called at around 5.30 pm Sunday, saying that a private house in the Junlan International Golf Life Village had been robbed and that people inside were threatened.
State media reported that her son He Jianfeng managed to escape and crossed a nearby river to inform the authorities. Five people were later arrested, police said no one was injured in the ensuing impasse.
"After receiving the report, provincial, municipal and district public security organs became very concerned about the matter and quickly organized the police to rush to the scene," the police said in a statement.
Founded in 1968, Midea is one of China's largest home appliance companies, producing a range of products from air conditioners to dehumidifiers. In 2019, the company's total operating revenues were more than $ 33 billion.
