Billionaires: Wake up!

For the first time on the Forbes Billion-aires List, the number of Chinese billionaires ranks second in the world, following the United States and overtaking Russia. This impressive accumulation of the wealthiest Chinese is testimony to the imposing performance of the Chinese economy last year.

Of the 64 billionaires from the Chinese mainland in the 2010 list, 27 are new to the rankings. But while they celebrate their new worldwide fame, we hope they also spend a moment or two contemplating the role they should play in society.

The image of Chinese financial magnates has not been very tasteful these days. Compared to their foreign counterparts, many of the rich in China are less philanthropic.