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William Ding

The latest news on Chinese billionaire businessman William Ding, founder and CEO of NetEase, including Chinese business news and updates.

Born

1 Oct 1971

Industry

Business, Technology

Job Title

Founder, CEO of NetEase

A Chinese PhD student in Belgium is making headlines by running a spicy noodle stall with his wife. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Trending in China

Chinese PhD student in Belgium earns US$1,200 daily, sells spicy noodles with wife

Agricultural academic turns his hand to street food to make ends meet, street stall customers say noodles he sells are ‘best ever’.

18 Sep 2025 - 4:04PM

Malaysia

Malaysians embrace ‘babi’ banter as pig farming course goes viral

18 Aug 2025 - 2:01PM

China's tech billionaires

Chinese tech billionaires move up Hurun 2023 Rich List amid internet rebound

25 Oct 2023 - 7:30PM

Artificial intelligence

Alibaba and NetEase bet future on AI despite looming US restrictions

Zhejiang has become China’s first province to launch a local policy guideline designed specifically to help Big Tech firms.

6 Jul 2023 - 7:00AMvideocam

The headquarters of Alibaba Group Holding in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Photo: EPA

Video gaming

NetEase’s profits jump as it jostles with miHoYo in China’s video games market

NetEase is facing intense competition for the No.2 spot in China behind Tencent Holdings from Shanghai-based miHoYo.

26 May 2023 - 7:30PM

Video gaming

China’s No 2 video games studio does not expect any overseas titles until 2025

NetEase’s investment in studios outside China is unlikely to generate any ‘positive surprises’ for revenue in the coming two or three years, said CFO Yang Zhaoxuan.

24 Feb 2023 - 9:51PM

Didi Chuxing

China’s tech regulator meets Big Tech bosses, including Didi CEO

Didi founder and CEO Cheng Wei made his first appearance at the symposium since China launched a cybersecurity probe into the firm in 2021, as Beijing eases its restrictions on the tech sector.

19 Feb 2023 - 6:00PMvideocam

The Didi Chuxing headquarters in Beijing. The ride-hailing giant’s CEO Cheng Wei attended a symposium with China’s tech regulators along with top executives from other Big Tech firms. Photo: Bloomberg

Video gaming

China’s gamers bid farewell as Blizzard ends World of Warcraft service

Blizzard games have been popular among Chinese players for years. But as its partnership with Netease ends, some gamers say they are ready to move on.

23 Jan 2023 - 9:00AM

NetEase

Big Tech moguls step down from China’s top political advisory body

The founders of Baidu, NetEase and Sogou are no longer among the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference’s latest delegate list.

18 Jan 2023 - 8:15PM

Video gaming

Exclusive | NetEase team handling Blizzard games to disband as 14-year pact nears end

The Shanghai team’s dissolution quashes speculation on Chinese social media that Blizzard and NetEase might strike a last-minute deal.

13 Jan 2023 - 8:30PM

NetEase

NetEase lands deal to develop smart robots for China’s construction industry

Fuxi Lab, the artificial intelligence arm of NetEase Games, will jointly develop smart robots with a unit of China State Construction Engineering Corp.

9 Dec 2022 - 7:59PM

NetEase Games’ artificial intelligence arm, Fuxi Lab, has teamed up with China Construction Eighth Engineering Division to develop smart robots for China’s construction industry. Photo: Shutterstock

Video gaming

NetEase-Blizzard break-up raises speculation on US firm’s next China partner

Internet giant Tencent, Genshin Impact creator miHoYo and TikTok owner ByteDance are among those being discussed as Blizzard’s next Chinese video gaming partner.

19 Nov 2022 - 11:16AM

Video gaming

China’s video gaming market catches a cold this summer as sales drop

The world’s largest video gaming market has been hit by tougher regulations, a slowing economy and a shrinking user base.

27 Sep 2022 - 11:43PMvideocam

China's tech billionaires

NetEase and Xiaomi CEOs relinquish corporate roles at gaming entities

The moves from part of a growing trend of Chinese Big Tech leaders moving away from front-office roles amid Beijing’s tightened scrutiny.

5 Jul 2022 - 8:03PM

NetEase

NetEase ramps up metaverse push with Yaotai virtual meeting app

Chinese video gaming giant NetEase plans to introduce its Yaotai app as early as August to help expand the virtual meeting platform’s user base.

21 Jun 2022 - 12:22PM

The launch of its Yaotai virtual meeting app reflects NetEase’s sharpened focus on the metaverse. Photo: Weibo

Video gaming

China’s video game licensing freeze returns in May after reprieve

The National Press and Publication Administration did not issue a new list of games approved for sale in mainland China in May after its list in April ended an eight-month licensing freeze.

31 May 2022 - 11:00PMvideocam

Tencent

Tencent restructures news team as censorship and competition rise

Tencent Holdings, China’s most valuable tech company, reshuffled its news service operation this week, changing the unit’s head and sacking a handful of veteran editorial staff.

28 May 2022 - 2:23PM

CPPCC

Will China’s Big Tech crackdown ease? Top advisory body meeting offers hope

The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference is holding a special symposium to promote the digital economy amid hopes of easing regulatory pressure on the country’s tech sector.

17 May 2022 - 8:39PM

Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference chairman and Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang appears on a screen to deliver a closing speech at a meeting on March 13, 2019. Photo: AP

Mobile gaming

NetEase launches first US video games studio in Texas

Opening of US studio reinforces trend of Chinese video gaming companies doubling down on overseas markets for earnings growth.

5 May 2022 - 7:25PM

NetEase

NetEase CEO cuts back on corporate duties amid China’s tightened tech regulation

William Ding, founder and chief executive of NetEase, joins other Big Tech leaders in China who have scaled back their corporate duties amid the industry’s tightened regulatory regime.

27 Apr 2022 - 9:00PM

Video gaming

China’s latest freeze on new video game licences may surpass previous record delay

With no relief in sight, the current regulatory freeze could potentially mark China’s longest suspension of new game licences since 2018.

22 Mar 2022 - 8:00PM

China’s latest suspension of new video game approvals marked its eighth month on March 22, 2022. Illustration: Shutterstock

Video gaming

‘Two sessions’ delegates propose more gaming restrictions for China

NPC and CPPCC delegates have suggested harsher measures to curb video game addiction, including a complete ban for minors, reflecting the rigid political climate in Beijing.

7 Mar 2022 - 10:56PMvideocam

A man plays the popular Honor of Kings online game from Chinese gaming giant Tencent on a train from Henan to Beijing. Photo: AP

Microsoft

Microsoft to help Chinese video game developers expand overseas via Xbox

Microsoft China is hiring staff to help local video game publishers expand overseas through Xbox, a move that comes as many Chinese developers are now working under a tightly regulated domestic market.

25 Feb 2022 - 9:04AMvideocam

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William Ding

Chinese PhD student in Belgium earns US$1,200 daily, sells spicy noodles with wife

Agricultural academic turns his hand to street food to make ends meet, street stall customers say noodles he sells are ‘best ever’.

Malaysians embrace ‘babi’ banter as pig farming course goes viral

Chinese tech billionaires move up Hurun 2023 Rich List amid internet rebound

Alibaba and NetEase bet future on AI despite looming US restrictions

Zhejiang has become China’s first province to launch a local policy guideline designed specifically to help Big Tech firms.

NetEase’s profits jump as it jostles with miHoYo in China’s video games market

NetEase is facing intense competition for the No.2 spot in China behind Tencent Holdings from Shanghai-based miHoYo.

China’s No 2 video games studio does not expect any overseas titles until 2025

NetEase’s investment in studios outside China is unlikely to generate any ‘positive surprises’ for revenue in the coming two or three years, said CFO Yang Zhaoxuan.

China’s tech regulator meets Big Tech bosses, including Didi CEO

Didi founder and CEO Cheng Wei made his first appearance at the symposium since China launched a cybersecurity probe into the firm in 2021, as Beijing eases its restrictions on the tech sector.

China’s gamers bid farewell as Blizzard ends World of Warcraft service

Blizzard games have been popular among Chinese players for years. But as its partnership with Netease ends, some gamers say they are ready to move on.

Big Tech moguls step down from China’s top political advisory body

The founders of Baidu, NetEase and Sogou are no longer among the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference’s latest delegate list.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | NetEase team handling Blizzard games to disband as 14-year pact nears end

The Shanghai team’s dissolution quashes speculation on Chinese social media that Blizzard and NetEase might strike a last-minute deal.

NetEase lands deal to develop smart robots for China’s construction industry

Fuxi Lab, the artificial intelligence arm of NetEase Games, will jointly develop smart robots with a unit of China State Construction Engineering Corp.

NetEase-Blizzard break-up raises speculation on US firm’s next China partner

Internet giant Tencent, Genshin Impact creator miHoYo and TikTok owner ByteDance are among those being discussed as Blizzard’s next Chinese video gaming partner.

China’s video gaming market catches a cold this summer as sales drop

The world’s largest video gaming market has been hit by tougher regulations, a slowing economy and a shrinking user base.

NetEase and Xiaomi CEOs relinquish corporate roles at gaming entities

The moves from part of a growing trend of Chinese Big Tech leaders moving away from front-office roles amid Beijing’s tightened scrutiny.

NetEase ramps up metaverse push with Yaotai virtual meeting app

Chinese video gaming giant NetEase plans to introduce its Yaotai app as early as August to help expand the virtual meeting platform’s user base.

China’s video game licensing freeze returns in May after reprieve

The National Press and Publication Administration did not issue a new list of games approved for sale in mainland China in May after its list in April ended an eight-month licensing freeze.

Tencent restructures news team as censorship and competition rise

Tencent Holdings, China’s most valuable tech company, reshuffled its news service operation this week, changing the unit’s head and sacking a handful of veteran editorial staff.

Will China’s Big Tech crackdown ease? Top advisory body meeting offers hope

The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference is holding a special symposium to promote the digital economy amid hopes of easing regulatory pressure on the country’s tech sector.

NetEase launches first US video games studio in Texas

Opening of US studio reinforces trend of Chinese video gaming companies doubling down on overseas markets for earnings growth.

NetEase CEO cuts back on corporate duties amid China’s tightened tech regulation

William Ding, founder and chief executive of NetEase, joins other Big Tech leaders in China who have scaled back their corporate duties amid the industry’s tightened regulatory regime.

China’s latest freeze on new video game licences may surpass previous record delay

With no relief in sight, the current regulatory freeze could potentially mark China’s longest suspension of new game licences since 2018.

‘Two sessions’ delegates propose more gaming restrictions for China

NPC and CPPCC delegates have suggested harsher measures to curb video game addiction, including a complete ban for minors, reflecting the rigid political climate in Beijing.

Microsoft to help Chinese video game developers expand overseas via Xbox

Microsoft China is hiring staff to help local video game publishers expand overseas through Xbox, a move that comes as many Chinese developers are now working under a tightly regulated domestic market.

Exclusive | NetEase team handling Blizzard games to disband as 14-year pact nears end