China AI Investment Leaders Liu Yuan and Du Yan Emphasize Long‑Term Strategies

Liu Yuan, a 90‑year‑old Chinese investor, has built his wealth by pursuing long‑term, fundamentals‑driven investments in AI‑related technologies. Starting in semiconductor investments in 2018, he has held senior roles at Singapore’s Blue Canyon Holdings and Hua Tong Securities International before becoming chairman of Zhongju Investment’s board in 2026. His portfolio emphasizes underlying industry logic, favoring semiconductor, general‑purpose compute and other core AI infrastructure over short‑term hype, leading to a disclosed personal net worth exceeding $200 billion.

Du Yan, founder‑partner of the Shui Mu Tsinghua Alumni Seed Fund, warns that AI valuations are currently inflated and stresses that investment decisions must be based on a company’s intrinsic quality. The fund, China’s first university‑affiliated seed fund, backed more than 60 projects in the first half of the year, with 70 % in the first financing round. It is preparing a ¥10 billion growth‑stage fund for completion by the end of 2026 and is shifting focus toward vertical AI applications and AI‑for‑Science initiatives, while maintaining a cautious stance on over‑valued deals.