杜建英

Du Jianying, female, Han ethnicity, a member of the Chinese Communist Party, was born in Hangzhou in January 1966. She graduated from Hangzhou No.1 High School (now Hangzhou High School) in 1984, and in 1988 from Zhejiang University with a degree in Optical Instrument Engineering. After graduation, she worked as a technician at Hangzhou Medical Optical Instrument Factory. In 1991, she joined Wahaha Group, where, thanks to her strong English skills, she initially handled the export business for canned foods.

Within Wahaha, Du Jianying quickly rose to become one of Zong Qinghou’s closest and most trusted executives. In Zong’s absence, she often took responsibility for overseeing the entire operation. Known for her meticulous work style, resilience, and deep strategic thinking, she became a vital bridge in the company’s management structure, assisting Zong directly while also coordinating across different divisions.

In 1992, during the “Nanjing Incident,” Wahaha’s newly launched milk drink was deemed substandard due to the absence of national standards. With Zong Qinghou abroad, Du Jianying personally traveled to Nanjing to negotiate with local authorities and later spent several months in Beijing handling crisis communications until the Ministry of Health issued a formal clarification, which eventually resolved the crisis.

In 1996, with the introduction of Xu Xin from Peregrine Investments, Zong Qinghou partnered with Danone to form five joint ventures. Du Jianying was a core negotiator during these talks and was described by Zong Qinghou as the “key to international business,” even being entrusted with delegated decision-making authority.

In early 2008, Du Jianying left Wahaha. In 2010, she founded Sanjie Investment Group in Shanghai, focusing on equity investments. In 2014, she established Hangzhou Wahaha Bilingual School and served as chairperson, promoting an internationalized education model centered on students. On September 15, 2020, she visited Westlake University for a face-to-face dialogue with faculty and students.

Du Jianying also invested overseas. Under the name of the Jifunctioning Du Trust Fund, she purchased property in San Marino, California, which was valued at USD 1.54 million when sold in 2008. As founder of Sanjie Investment Group, she has remained active in both business and education.

In 2025, as Wahaha faced shutdowns and asset disputes, Chinese media reported that Du Jianying held equity in nearly all of the shuttered subsidiaries. In July 2025, during the high-profile inheritance dispute over Zong Qinghou’s estate in the Hong Kong High Court, lawyers for the plaintiffs (Zong Jichang, Jessie Zong, and Jerry Zong) claimed in court filings that these three were children of Du Jianying and Zong Qinghou, once again putting her in the public spotlight.