By Yin Hua
In an era of increasing globalization, cross-border love stories are often framed as modern fairy tales. Yet behind many of these unions lie layers of ambition, power, and geopolitics. At 31, Wendi Deng married 68-year-old media mogul Rupert Murdoch. At 33, Jolin Zhu, also known as Karen Zhu, married 80-year-old Oracle founder Larry Ellison, then briefly the world’s richest man. Almost overnight, some media outlets began asking whether Zhu was “the next Wendi Deng.”
When news of Ellison’s marriage to Zhu, a Chinese-born woman from Shenyang, surfaced in late 2024, it ignited widespread speculation. Ellison’s net worth had temporarily surpassed that of Elon Musk, making him the world’s wealthiest individual. His bride, once an ordinary Chinese student studying abroad, was quickly cast into the global spotlight.
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Wendi Deng’s rise, hailing from a small city in Jiangsu Province to the pinnacle of New York’s elite social circles, had already become legend. These stories are not fairy tales. They are real-world narratives where romance intersects with power, money, and controversy.
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Why do American billionaires appear drawn to Chinese women? Are these marriages rooted in love, strategic calculation, or something in between? And lingering behind them all is a sensitive question: does the shadow of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) United Front quietly loom?
From Xuzhou to Manhattan
Wendi Deng was born in 1968 to an ordinary family in Xuzhou during the Cultural Revolution. Her father was a factory cadre; her mother, a homemaker. As a child, Deng experienced rural labor assignments that forged resilience and ambition.
After China reinstated the college entrance examination in 1979, Deng enrolled at Guangzhou University of Foreign Studies, majoring in English. Following graduation, she traveled to the United States as an exchange student. At 22, struggling with a heavy accent and limited means, she worked in a Chinese restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.
Her fortunes changed dramatically after meeting American businessman Jake Cherry, more than 30 years her senior and married at the time. The Cherry couple helped Deng apply for a green card and invited her to live with them. The relationship escalated, leading to Cherry’s divorce and their marriage in 1990.
Climbing up the ladder
Though the marriage lasted only two years, it opened doors. Deng obtained U.S. citizenship, entered Yale University, and earned an MBA in 1996. She later joined STAR TV in Hong Kong, a subsidiary of News Corporation.
In 1997, Deng met Rupert Murdoch at a business lunch in Hong Kong. Murdoch, then 66, was seeking access to the Chinese market. Deng boldly criticized STAR TV’s programming and urged greater localization. Her confidence impressed Murdoch.
Murdoch later told friends, “She showed me the future of Asia.” They then quietly got hitched aboard Murdoch’s private yacht on June 25, 1999, attended by close friends, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Murdoch reportedly said in his vows, “You are the Eastern key to my empire.”
After marriage, Deng became both spouse and business partner. She oversaw Asian expansion for News Corporation and played a role in STAR TV’s cooperation with China Central Television, which helped open the Chinese market and boost Asia-Pacific revenues.
Her public image polarized opinion. Praised as an “Eastern muse” by admirers and criticized as a “seductress” by detractors, Deng became globally known after dramatically defending Murdoch during the 2011 U.S. congressional hearing on the phone-hacking scandal.
The marriage ended in divorce in 2013, reportedly with a settlement of around $700 million. Deng later founded an investment firm and remained active among global elites, continuing to act as a cultural intermediary between China and the West.
A Shenyang student’s Silicon Valley marriage
Jolin Zhu’s trajectory was different. Born in 1991 in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, Zhu attended Northeast Yucai School before moving to the United States. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2012 with a degree in international studies and later became a U.S. citizen.
Public information about her family background remains limited. Her social media presence emphasizes travel and wellness rather than business or politics. She reportedly met Larry Ellison around 2018. By 2025, Ellison’s fortune exceeded $200 billion. The couple was soon seen together at NBA games and private gatherings before marrying quietly in 2023. Their union became publicly evident only in late 2024 through Ellison’s appearances.
Zhu is believed to play a supportive role in Ellison’s philanthropic and business activities. Some speculate that her background may help Oracle navigate U.S.–China dynamics, particularly in cloud computing, though no evidence confirms direct involvement.
The parallels with Deng are clear — large age gaps, elite education, and proximity to immense power. Yet the differences are equally striking. Deng’s marriage unfolded under intense media scrutiny; Zhu’s has remained discreet. Deng’s era coincided with China’s media expansion; Zhu’s aligns with technological rivalry and geopolitical tension.
Love or transaction?
Are these marriages expressions of genuine affection, or strategic exchanges? Deng’s case is often viewed as transactional. Murdoch gained access to Chinese markets; Deng gained citizenship, wealth, and influence. After the divorce, she retained significant assets and networks.
Zhu’s marriage carries similar undertones. Ellison benefits from her cross-cultural insight, while Zhu gains social standing. Their joint philanthropy, including a $10.5 million donation to the University of Michigan, further elevated their public profile.
Beyond individual cases lies a broader concern. The CCP’s United Front Work Department actively cultivates overseas influence, particularly among elites. Deng has faced repeated allegations. Australian billionaire Clive Palmer once called her a “Chinese spy,” and U.S. intelligence reportedly warned Jared Kushner in 2018 that Deng could leverage her connections.
French intelligence publications described her as an “influence agent,” not a spy. Deng denied all allegations, calling them racially motivated. Evidence remains circumstantial.
By comparisong, Zhu has faced no such accusations. Since her marriage became public, scrutiny has focused on age disparity and philanthropy, not political influence. Comparatively, Deng fits the classic United Front “elite influence” model more closely, while Zhu appears more private and detached. Structural suspicion exists, but proof does not.
Across history, marriages have often intertwined intimacy and power. These modern unions are no exception. Are they transactions? Perhaps. Are they also personal choices shaped by emotion and circumstance? Almost certainly.
In a world where geopolitics increasingly penetrates private life, such marriages raise uncomfortable questions — about influence, agency, and the fine line between love and leverage.
