Robin Li, CEO of the popular search engine Baidu.com, continued to be the richest member in the multi-billionaire club on the Chinese mainland in 2012, with a personal wealth of US$10.2 billion, according to Forbes' 2012 world's billionaire rankings published today.

With his fortunes increasing by US$0.8 billion as compared to US$9.4 billion in 2011, Li became the only billionaire on the Chinese mainland who boasted a personal wealth of more than US$10 billion.

Li is followed by Liang Wengen, chairman of China's Sany Heavy Industry, and Zong Qinghou, chairman and CEO of the beverage giant Wahaha Group, each has a personal wealth of US$8.1 billion and US$6.5 billion, respectively. It's the second time for the trio to cement their spots as the top richest on the Chinese mainland. The three were ranked 86th, 113th and 146th on the general list, respectively.

However, on Hurun's Global Rich List 2012 released Tuesday with the threshold of US$10 billion or above, Zong was the richest and the only one member from the Chinese mainland, with a total wealth of US$10.5 billion. 

Also read: Hurun: Top 10 richest people on Earth in 2012

Forbes, which began ranking the world's billionaires 25 years ago, counted an all-time high 1,226 billionaires worth a record US$4.6 trillion this year. Net worth was calculated March, 2012. The list shows that Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim was again the richest on the planet with a total wealth of US$69 billion.

Of these billionaires who have a personal wealth of US$1 billion and more, 95 were from the Chinese mainland, though 20 less than in 2011. The top 10 members generated a combined wealth of US$ 62.2 billion, accounting for 30.4 percent of the US$ 204.35 billion posted by the 95.

The richest in Hong Kong, as well as in Asia, was the business magnate Li Ka-shing, who posted a total wealth of US$ 25.5 billion. He was ranked 9th on the Forbes' general rankings, but appeared 13th with US$ 24 billion on Hurun's list.

A total of 62 billionaires from Hong Kong (38) and Taiwan (24) were included into the overall rankings.

Following are the top ten richest members in the "US$ 1 Billion-plus Club" on the Chinese mainland in 2012: 

    Zhang Jindong 張近東

 - Age: 48

- World rank 2012: 232; World rank 2011: 208

- Net worth 2012: US$4.5 bln; Net worth 2011: US$5 bln

- Company: Suning Appliance

- Source of wealth: Retail, self-made