Chen Yidan on Philanthropy

In 2007, under Chen's leadership, Tencent launched the Tencent Charity Foundation, described by the Yidan Prize Foundation as the first charity foundation in China's internet industry.

Chen stepped down as Tencent's CAO in March 2013 to found the Chen Yidan Charity Foundation, continuing involvement with Tencent as an advisor, sponsor, and honorary chairman of the Tencent Charity Foundation, and later as Lifetime Honorary Consultant.

In May 2016, Chen founded the Yidan Prize, funded by an independent trust of HK$2.5 billion (US$320 million), to recognize innovators who have made significant contributions to education; in 2018, he donated his Tencent shares to set up a charitable trust further supporting education development.

He is described by the Yidan Prize Foundation as the 'Father of Internet Philanthropy' and ranked top of the 13th China Charity Ranking in 2016 and as China's top philanthropist on the 2017 Forbes China Philanthropist list.