Society

Some of Sina Weibo's Top 10 celebrities

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-17 08:03

Huang Jianxiang: No 7

Football is arguably the most popular sport on the planet. Huang Jianxiang, 42, a former sports commentator with China Central Television and anchorman at the Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television, agrees. But that's not what makes him one of China's most popular football commentators.

Cai Kangyong: No 5

Also known as Kevin Tsai, Cai is a writer and TV host in Taiwan. He is best known for his role in hosting the TV program Kanagxi Lai Le, which airs on Chuang Tien Television with fellow hostess Xu Xidi or Dee Hsu. Soon after Sina's Weibo became accessible on iPhone across the world, Cai joined Weibo. Popular for his witty comments on various themes, one typical post reads:

"Yes, many people do bad things for money. It is the way they choose to get their money you should hate, not money. It doesn't make you sound nobler if you hate money. Money is like kung fu in a kung fu novel. You could use your kung fu to do bad, or you could also use it to do a lot of wonderful things. Resisting making money is like resisting improving your kung fu, which is OK but you'd better be prepared. One day if a bad guy armed with strong kung fu bullies you, how will you react? - Kangyong, Short messages for the cruel world."

Yao Cheng: No 1

Yao, a rising actress from the Chinese mainland known as "Queen of Weibo", provides updates a couple of times each day no matter where she is. And she talks about almost everything.

"I am flying to the North. In fact, I have been flying everywhere this month. I am like Batwoman."

Pan Shiyi: No 10

The presence of SOHO China's Pan Shiyi on Sina Weibo's top ten reflects the fact that the new social networking platform has become the pulse of Chinese society.

As one of China's best known real estate developers, Pan has become a public figure for his willingness to talk to the media and his frequent blogging on Sina Weibo.

He has brought onboard many other real estate developers to join Weibo and hence formed an exchange platform on probably the country's most discussed issue - the red-hot real estate market.

One recent typical Weibo from him was related to the government's possible postponing of the introduction of a property tax to further cool the real estate market. He warned investors to avoid too much renewed optimism, writing on his Sina Weibo: "It is like a drowning person seeing a piece of wood floating on the sea. But don't be optimistic, make plans for the worst."

Li Kaifu: No 4

Li Kaifu, former president of Google China, is among the first popular celebrities to have joined Sina Weibo. He is the only Internet entrepreneur who has stayed in the top five.

He announced his leaving Google China on September 4, 2009 with the words "Goodbye, Google!"

As founder and CEO of Innovation Works, a new venture dedicated to serving young start-ups, he reviews the Internet scene, media trends and electronic products, updates on the company's development and occasionally remarks on his daily routines especially those related to his two daughters.