Liem Sioe Liong (1917-2012), courtesy name Xianwen, was born in Niuzhai Village at Haikou Town in Fuqing, Fujian. A 22nd generation descendent of the "Glorious Nine" lineage of the Niuzhai Lin Clan East Ancestral Temple, Liem received education from an old-style private school as a child. He left home at the age of 21, seeking refuge with his uncle and elder brother in Kudus, Indonesia. Along with elder brother Liem Sioe Hie and younger brother Liem Sioe Kong, Liem established PT Salim Economic Development Corp in the 1950s. He relocated in 1952 to Jakarta where he set up a number of factories manufacturing livelihood necessities and ventured into the financial industry. In response to the call of the Indonesian government in 1967 encouraging the local Chinese to invest in business, Liem focused his core businesses on "food, clothing, housing and transportation" to facilitate national economic development and improve people's livelihood. He played an important role in promoting industrialization in Indonesia and the Salim Group became the nation's largest conglomerate.

Liem made brilliant achievements in business on foreign soil, thanks to the fine traditional Chinese culture embedded deeply in him, his business acumen and talent. His personal and business success is a manifestation of the profound and sophisticated Chinese culture, successfully practiced by the overseas Chinese business community.

"When you are poor, you should strive to help yourself; when you are able, you should dedicate yourself to the wellbeing of the society." Liem is well respected not just because of his business achievements but rather his sense of deep love for his country and the spirit of dedication. In Indonesia, his country of residence, he established many charitable organizations and helped 600,000-700,000 ethnic Chinese obtain Indonesia citizenship. In his hometown Fuqing, he donated generously for numerous social welfare projects; brought a large number of overseas Fuqing compatriots back for investment; established industrial parks, created jobs for the local people and made enormous contributions to economic development in his hometown.