An eccentric Chinese billionaire has invited 1,000 impoverished Americans to a charity lunch in Central Park as a way to show fellow tycoons that there is more to life than "luxury of goods, gambling and prostitution."
Chen Guangbiao, a recycling magnate from the eastern province of Jiangsu, placed a full-page bilingual advertisement in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal on Monday, announcing a charity luncheon at New York Central Park's Loeb Boathouse on June 25 for 1,000 "poor and destitute Americans," CNN reported.
Apart from the grand lunch, each participant has also been promised a cash handout of $300 to spend on "occupational training."
Known for his flashy philanthropic stunts, Guangbiao placed his photo side-by-side with a picture of Lei Feng, a Chinese soldier from the Mao-era who is celebrated as a selfless model citizen. The title above the images reads, "China's 'Lei Feng for a new era.'"
The luncheon, which is estimated to cost around $1 million (£590,000), can be attended by filling out an RSVP via a Hotmail email address.
"It was not immediately clear whether Chen's guests would be offered a set menu at the Central Park feast or be allowed to choose from the restaurant's à la carte lunch menu which features dishes such as Lemon-Oregano Crusted Salmon and Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi with Tobiko Caviar and Jalapeno Wasabi Vinaigrette," the Telegraph reported.
Chen hopes to portray the generosity of Chinese philanthropists to the United States through the luncheon, according to CNN. He also wants to change people's perceptions of wealthy Chinese and boost relations between the two countries.
"There are many wealthy Chinese billionaires but most of them gained their wealth from market speculation and colluding with government officials while destroying the environment. I can't bear the sight of it," Chen told the South China Morning Post.
"Making his fortune from recycling domestic waste and construction materials in China, Chen has been in the media spotlight in recent years for his dramatic publicity stunts promoting philanthropic causes," CNN reported. "He arrived at the scene of the 2013 Lushan earthquake in Sichuan just hours after the disaster took place and personally handed out cash to the victims."
The tycoon's most famous stunt has been his unsuccessful attempts to buy the New York Times twice to develop closer ties between U.S. and China.
Although Chen has made it more than once onto Forbes' list of Asia's leading philanthropists, his flashy generosity is not brought by everyone.
"Chen is a clown whose so-called philanthropy appears to consist entirely of self-promotional stunts like giving handouts of cash in Taipei and New York, and cans of air to people in China." Jeremy Goldkorn, director of Chinese media research firm Danwei, said.
