Wahaha’s $1.8 Billion Inheritance Trial Concludes in Hong Kong as Zong Fuli’s Appeal Is Rejected

Wahaha’s $1.8 Billion Inheritance Battle has taken a dramatic turn as the Hong Kong High Court officially rejected the appeal application of Zong Fuli, daughter of the late founder Zong Qinghou and current chairwoman of Wahaha Group. The ruling upholds an earlier order, meaning that Zong Fuli faces another setback in this high-profile inheritance war spanning both Mainland China and Hong Kong, with the disputed fortune remaining frozen as the case escalates. At the core of the dispute lies the question of whether the offshore assets held at HSBC Hong Kong—controlled by Zong Fuli and her BVI-based company Jian Hao Ventures Limited—constitute personal property or trust funds. Three claimants, Zong Jichang, Zong Jieli, and Zong Jisheng, who assert themselves as Zong Qinghou’s children outside of marriage, argue that their father explicitly intended these funds to be trust assets for all his children. They presented documents including a Power of Attorney, an Agreement, and handwritten instructions from Zong Qinghou, claiming Fuli was entrusted as a guardian, not the rightful owner. In contrast, Zong Fuli denies any trust arrangement, maintaining that the assets are fully her company’s property and that her father’s intentions were at best a non-binding gift without legal force. The dispute spans both jurisdictions: in Mainland China, the plaintiffs initiated a trust confirmation lawsuit in the Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, while in Hong Kong they sought interim relief to prevent asset transfers during lengthy proceedings. On August 1, 2025, Deputy High Court Judge Lam Chi Keung granted a freeze order prohibiting withdrawals from the HSBC account, along with a disclosure order compelling Fuli to provide transaction details and balances. Dissatisfied, she filed an appeal, but on September 26, 2025, the court dismissed her application. In a detailed judgment, the court reaffirmed that interim relief was necessary to preserve assets for Mainland litigation, ruled that the plaintiffs had raised serious and arguable issues requiring full trial, and accepted their justification for approaching Hong Kong courts given the limited remedies available in the Mainland. As a result, the $1.8 billion remains frozen, with partial disclosure requirements still in effect. Looking ahead, Zong Fuli may seek approval directly from the Hong Kong Court of Appeal, while the ultimate ownership of the fortune awaits the Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court’s decision. This case goes far beyond family rivalry; it highlights the complex interplay between Hong Kong and Mainland legal systems and sets an important precedent for cross-border asset protection and inheritance disputes. For Wahaha, one of China’s most iconic private enterprises, the case touches not only on family wealth but also the stability and reputation of the company itself. The latest ruling marks not the end, but another pivotal chapter in a billion-dollar battle that continues to capture public and business attention, with all eyes now turning to the next moves in Hong Kong and Hangzhou.