Taiwanese host Matilda Tao moves to Singapore with son for education

SINGAPORE: A prominent Taiwanese host, actress, and television personality, Matilda Tao (陶晶莹), disclosed in a recent press briefing in Taipei discussing her latest show, that she has been residing in Singapore with her 15-year-old son, affectionately known as ‘Little Dragon’, who has been enrolled in an international school in Singapore since January.

Ms Tao is well-known for her work in the entertainment industry, particularly as a host for various television shows in Taiwan.

Throughout her career, Tao has gained recognition for her talent and charisma, earning her a dedicated fanbase both in Taiwan and internationally.

She currently presents “The Matilda Show,” a new radio program broadcasted on LOVE 972, airing every Monday to Friday from 11 am to 12 pm.

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During the press release, Ms Tao mentioned that she has been travelling back and forth between Singapore and Taiwan. Additionally, she plans to journey to the United States in May to attend her 18-year-old daughter Dou Dou’s high school graduation ceremony.

Her husband, however, stays in Taiwan, along with their two dogs.

Ms Tao told the media that her daughter has applied to two universities in the United States and Singapore and is waiting for the result at the moment, adding, “She wants to study music, but she doesn’t want to only major in courses such as music and the arts. She wants to attend more general courses like economics and psychology, too.”

The host commended Singapore for its affordable school fees, highlighting that the cost of studying for one year in a US university could cover six years of education in Singapore. She noted the current expense of approximately US$90,000 per year for private universities in the US.

She further remarked, “In reality, the standard of education in Singapore surpasses that of the US.”

In addition to this, during the press conference, Matilda received congratulatory messages from fellow celebrities in the entertainment industry, including Stefanie Sun, Lan Hsin-mei, and Ariel Lin.

Celebrities who called Singapore home

Ms Tao is certainly not the only overseas celebrity or renowned figure to choose to relocate to Singapore or own properties in the city-state.

Singapore is widely regarded as a magnet for international billionaires and celebrities, who are drawn to the city-state for its culinary delights, abundant sunshine, and attractive tax breaks.

Compared to international standards, Singapore imposes notably low income, wealth, and estate taxes, offering substantial savings opportunities for the ultra-rich who decide to make it their home.

As an example, renowned actor Jet Li relinquished his Chinese citizenship in favour of Singaporean status.

Formerly an American citizen, he opted for Singaporean citizenship in 2009, citing his confidence in the education system for his daughters as a motivating factor.

Source: Jet Li’s Instagram account.Zhang Yong, founder of the Hai Di Lao hotpot chain, relocated from China to Singapore, where he obtained citizenship. He and his wife, Shu Ping, rank among Singapore’s top 10 billionaires.

Zhang Yong (Source: CNBC.com).

Benz Hui, a prominent actor from Hong Kong, encountered his wife during a project in Singapore in the 1980s. Presently residing in Yishun, Singapore, he lives with his family.

Source: Benz Hui’s Instagram account.

Richard Chandler, a billionaire originally from New Zealand, heads the Clermont investment group. Relocating to Singapore in 2006, he has profited from the nation’s favourable business policies.

Richard Chandler (Source: The Chandler Foundation website).

Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook alongside Mark Zuckerberg, relinquished his US citizenship in 2011. Since 2009, he has resided in Singapore.

Source: Eduardo Saverin’s Facebook page,.

Zhao Wei, famed for her role in ‘My Fair Princess’, is among China’s highest-earning actresses. Alongside her husband, businessman Huang You Long, she holds Singaporean permanent residency, where their daughter was born.

Source: Zhao Wei’s Facebook page.

When Jackie Chan’s name is mentioned, his renown as a top-tier action star from Hong Kong immediately springs to mind.

Yet, what’s lesser-known about him is his status as a Singapore permanent resident since 1998.

He reportedly owns multiple properties in Singapore and is said to have added an apartment at Orchard Residences to his real estate portfolio, though not much is known about his unit.

Source: Jackie Chan’s Facebook page.

Gong Li, a celebrated actress recognized as one of the pillars of Chinese cinema, is renowned as the muse of Chinese director Zhang Yimou.

Hailing from Liaoning, China, Gong Li relinquished her Chinese citizenship in 2008 and formally acquired Singaporean citizenship on November 8, 2008.

Source: Gong Li’s Facebook page.

Separately, FT Chinese earlier reported that Zhang Lei (张磊), the founder of Hillhouse Capital (高瓴资本), a Chinese investment company with assets totalling billions of dollars, is said to have acquired Singaporean citizenship.