China’s Richest Man Reveals His Master Plan to Destroy Disney

August 31, 2016

Chinese multi-billionaire Wang Jianlin has declared war on Disney again and renewed his vows to ensure the company fails horribly in China.

The outspoken Dalian Wanda Group’s founder and China’s richest man made a similar pronouncement in the past, but has reiterated his intention to crush Disney into submission during an interview with Chinese talk show host Chen Luyu that aired on Aug. 26.

After showing off his undeniably impressive Beijing headquarters, he revealed that in order to defeat Disney, he only needed to out-build the billion-dollar company, according to Quartz.

Wang recently signed an agreement to invest 63 billion yuan ($9.45 billion) to build a tourism and sports complex in Jinan city, dubbed Jinan Wanda City, in 2017 with operations set to begin by 2021.

He also just broke ground on a 16 billion yuan ($2.44 billion) tourism “city” in southwest China and opened another park in southeastern Nanchang in May. A new one in Hefei, northern China, is set to open on September 24, which reportedly cost over 35 billion yuan ($5.2 billion).

Wang Jianlin further stated that the company is set to build 15 amusement park complexes in China and three to five in other countries in the next three years. Wang added that his mission is to make Shanghai’s first Disneyland, “unprofitable in the coming two decades.”

Wanda also recently opened an amusement park complex in Nanchang just days after Disneyland opened in June. Wanda’s park reportedly cost 22 billion yuan (around $3.3 billion) to build.

Wang shared that his strategy is like the poplar Chinese gambing game of of mahjong:

“If Disney wants to win a hand, we will intercept it by building amusement parks.”

Disney has earlier warned Wanda regarding the protection of its intellectual property after Wang’s theme park was revealed to feature mascots and personalities that looked too similar to popular Disney characters.

Wang Jianlin dismissed the warning during the recent interview, saying that he aims to “change the world where rules are set by foreigners.” Translation: “Suck it, Disney.”

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