The story of Chinese gaming billionaire Xu Bo reads like a plot from a futuristic novel, yet it is a stark reality of 2025. The founder of Duoyi Network is making global headlines not for a tech innovation, but for an unprecedented personal venture: fathering over 100 children via surrogacy, primarily in the United States, and planning for more with a specific strategic vision.
The Courtroom Revelation and a Grand Design
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, cited by Seoul Economic Daily, Xu Bo's extraordinary plans came to light during a 2023 proceeding at a Los Angeles family court. The billionaire had applied for parental rights over four children born through surrogates. However, the judge rejected his petition after a court investigation uncovered a much larger scheme.
The investigation revealed that Xu had already fathered, or was in the process of fathering, more than eight children through surrogates at that time. Appearing via video link from China through an interpreter, Xu made his ambitions clear. He stated his desire to have around 20 American-born children who could one day take over his business empire. He expressed a preference for boys, claiming they were "superior" for the task of running his company. Shockingly, Xu also admitted to the judge that he had not yet met some of his children, citing a busy work schedule.
Building a US-Citizen Business Dynasty
This case sheds light on a calculated approach to legacy planning among some of China's ultra-wealthy. Xu Bo's strategy moves beyond traditional estate planning. By ensuring his heirs are US citizens by birth, he is architecting a family dynasty with inherent rights and access in a major global economy. The children, some reportedly being raised by nannies while awaiting paperwork to travel to China, are central to this long-term vision of a transnational business empire.
The scale is staggering: from the existing cohort of over 100 children to the targeted additional 20, Xu's plan redefines the concept of a family-run business. It highlights a trend where extreme wealth enables family planning decisions that resemble corporate mergers or strategic geopolitical placements.
A Trend Among China's Elite
While Xu Bo's case is the most prominent, reports indicate he is not alone. Other wealthy Chinese individuals have similarly turned to American surrogacy and egg donors to build large families with specific attributes.
One notable example is education industry executive Wang Huiwu. He reportedly used egg donors, including models and professionals, to father approximately ten daughters via surrogacy. The alleged motivation differs from Xu's: the idea that these daughters could potentially marry into powerful global networks, creating alliances and extending influence. This contrast—sons for direct corporate control versus daughters for marital alliances—illustrates how legacy strategies are being meticulously crafted, viewing children as pieces in a complex game of wealth and power consolidation.
Implications and Reactions
The revelations have sparked intense online debate and ethical questions. The commodification of childbirth, the explicit gender preference, and the concept of creating a "ready-made" heir generation strike many as controversial. The legal hurdles Xu faced in the US court also underscore the complex international legal frameworks surrounding surrogacy and parental rights.
For observers in India and globally, this story is more than a billionaire's eccentricity. It is a window into how unprecedented levels of private wealth can challenge social norms, legal boundaries, and traditional ideas of family and inheritance. It prompts discussions on fertility tourism, the rights of surrogate-born children, and the future shape of global business dynasties in an interconnected world.
