Tough times can't budge Li

Li Ka-shing, 93, retained his place as Hong Kong's wealthiest person with US$36 billion (HK$280 billion), according to Forbes, but the combined wealth of the SAR's 50 richest people dipped to US$328 billion from US$331 billion last year.

Li retired in 2008 as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings, but he remains one of the most influential businessmen in Asia.

The SAR's economy revived with a 6.4 percent rise in 2021 on an uptick in exports and domestic consumption, Forbes noted, but curbs under the zero-tolerance Covid policy hit the Hang Seng Index, which declined 16 percent in the past 12 months.

Following Lee in the money stakes is Lee Shau-Kee, founder of Henderson Land Development, with US$34.2 billion, and New World Development chairman Henry Cheng and his family (US$26.4 billion).

Real estate matriarch Chan Tan Ching-fen, 25th on the list, more than doubled her wealth to US$3.9 billion, thanks to her investment in video-sharing platform Kuaishou, which went public last year.