Businesswoman Dong Mingzhu, known as one of the richest women in China, sparked controversy after revealing in a recent interview that she once insisted a restaurant replace its air conditioner upon discovering it was not from her company, Gree.
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The incident came to light on February 20 during an interview with Tencent News.
Dong, chairwoman of Gree Electric and recognised as China’s home appliance queen, recounted her experience at a restaurant in Hefei, Anhui province in northern China.
While dining in a private room, she noticed that the air conditioner was not manufactured by Gree and questioned the restaurant owner, asking: “What’s the matter? Since Gree is so good, why are you not using it?”
The owner explained that all the air conditioners were from Gree, except for that particular unit. However, Dong insisted that the owner replace it immediately, declaring: “You have to replace it; otherwise, I will never come back here.”
She even showed the owner the product page on her phone, asking him to scan the QR code and complete the purchase right then and there.