In a controversial case in Zhuozhou, Hebei Province, China, the wife of a state-owned enterprise (SOE) executive has taken her son, who is also an SOE executive with a net worth of over a hundred million, to court, accusing him of not providing financial support to his mother. The son, on the other hand, insists that he had already given his mother a one-time payment of 6 million RMB. This family dispute involving a wealthy SOE executive has raised questions in society about the wealth of SOE officials’ families.
According to legal documents, Liang (born in 1961), the wife of Ren, who used to be an official in China Railway 18th Bureau, has filed a lawsuit against their eldest son, Ren Jia. Ren had committed crimes twice and, after being released in 2024, began cohabiting with a third party, with whom he had an illegitimate daughter, and demanded a divorce from Liang.
Liang then sued her eldest son, claiming that she and Ren have five properties, including a villa of over 300 square meters. Due to Ren’s status as an SOE official, the properties were registered under their son Ren Jia’s name. Liang’s lawsuit seeks to transfer ownership of the villa to her name.
Liang tearfully stated that she has no job, no income, and her husband wants a divorce. Meanwhile, her son Ren Jia is an SOE executive in Zhengzhou and has a net worth of over a hundred million, but has never supported her financially.
Ren Jia explained that there are many properties under his parents’ names, and in 2023, his father had already given his mother 6 million RMB in a lump sum. Before his father’s accident, the annual 500,000 RMB subsidy from the unit was also directly given to his mother. Last year, his mother had sued him, demanding 10,000 RMB monthly for support, but the court ruled for him to pay only 500 RMB per month, which he has already fulfilled.
The court ruled that the disputed villa is jointly owned by Ren and Liang, hence it did not support Liang’s request for the change of ownership. Liang was ordered to bear the legal costs of 13,000 RMB.
This dispute involving a family of SOE executives has sparked discussions and grabbed public attention. Netizens commenting online suggest that when family matters are taken to court, it goes beyond just monetary issues.
Many questioned the legitimacy of the 6 million transfer and the annual 500,000 subsidy – are the funds from legal sources?
Blogger “Hot Topic Tracking Baba” wrote that the dispute may seem to be about financial support between mother and son on the surface, but it actually intertwines issues of family property distribution, treatment of officials’ family members, and legal obligations.
This case has garnered widespread attention related to the identities of the persons involved as “SOE executives” with “net worth of over a hundred million” and “a one-time transfer of 6 million”. The public is questioning whether Ren Jia’s significant personal wealth as an SOE executive can withstand scrutiny. Also, the source of the 6 million given by his father, a former SOE official, to his wife, Liang, is being questioned for its legality. Could this family dispute lead to other issues?
Popular blogger “Intelligent Selection” believes that behind this dispute lies a misalignment of family and property. In traditional values, filial duty includes not only material support but also emotional care. However, in modern society with wealth accumulation and varied distribution methods, the way filial duty is carried out has changed. The son seeks to fulfill his duty with monetary support, believing it’s enough, while the mother desires emotional care and companionship, considering money cannot compensate for the lack of affection. This differing mindset has escalated the conflict between them.