Described as “the most famous woman in China” by People Magazine, “the Queen of the Middle Kingdom” by Time Magazine and a “Modern Day Marco Polo” by Money Magazine, Yue-Sai Kan, veteran journalist, EMMY Award winning television personality, best-selling author, humanitarian and successful entrepreneur, is perhaps one of the most recognized woman in China today.  Most recently the official Xinhua News Agency of the People’s Republic of China voted her one of the “most influential women in China in the last 20 years.

A woman of many firsts, Yue-Sai Kan originally made a name for herself on American television, introducing the Eastern and Western worlds to one another. With her ground breaking weekly television series, Looking East Yue-Sai Kan introduced Eastern cultures and customs to a growing and receptive American audience. The show, which began in 1978, remained on the air for an incredible 12 years, the last 2 years of which were broadcast on the Discovery Channel.

In 1984 PBS invited Yue-Sai to host the first live broadcast from China of the Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The success of that broadcast led the Chinese Government to ask her to produce One World, the first television series ever produced and hosted by an American on China’s only national network, CCTV. Her broadcast,iwhich captivated the nation and made her a household name, not only opened China’s doors to Western culture but also created a journalistic style that is still emulated in China today. This highly acclaimed series was also used as anieducational tool in the Chinese school system. Yue-Sai Kan’s production company has gone on to create numerous television series including the ABC documentary China - Walls and Bridges, which earned her an EMMY Award.

Frustrated by years of needing to look her best before the cameraiwithout being able to find appropriate cosmetics for her Asian skin tones,icoloring and facial features, Yue-Sai founded Yue-Sai Kan Cosmetics Ltd., whichihas become China’s leading cosmetics company. As demand grew, Yue-Sai realized that there was a need to expand her company and in order to do this she would need a global partner. This led her to form a strategic joint venture with the 1.7 billion-dollar cosmetics company, Coty. This union allowed Yue-Sai Kan Cosmetics to continue its rapid expansion, to extend its cosmetics productilines and to enhance its manufacturing capabilities by opening a 20 million-dollar factory in Pudong, Shanghai in 1997.

After an unsuccessfuliattempt to locate a Chinese doll for a friend, Yue-Sai discovered that thereiwere no Asian fashion or collectible dolls currently available and seeing a need launched Yue-Sai Wa Wa (www.yuesaiwawa.com), created out of a desire to help children of Asian descent develop confidence, knowledge, independence and pride in their heritage as well as to educate children of other nationalities about Asian culture, Yue-Sai felt it was important for Asian children to see their own beauty and traditions reflected in the toys they played with.

The dolls were an instant success in China allowing Yue-Sai to work with American retail giants to bring Yue-Sai Wa Wa to the United States, London, Singapore and Hong Kong in late 2001. The popularity of the Yue-Sai Wa Wa doll has led Yue-Sai toicreate a weekly cartoon series entitled “Yue-Sai’s Adventures”, which is beingipublished in national children’s newspapers throughout China, allowing Yue-Saiito produce yet another first in China – a female cartoon heroine that Chineseichildren can call their own.

Yue-Sai Kan continues to help inspire and educate the Eastern world with countless articles and three best selling books – One World, Yue-Sai’s Guide to Asian Beauty and her latest best-seller, published in May 2000, Etiquette for the Modern Chinese. Currently, Yue-Sai is finishing her fourth book entitled Celebrating Asian Beauty, which will feature some of the word’s most exquisite Asian beauties including Joan Chen, Benazier Bhuto and Dewi Sukarno, who will share their ultimate secrets for beauty and health. This book is scheduled to be published, in English, in the fall of 2002 to coincide with the launch of her cosmetics in the United States.

Yue-Sai also finds time to focus on educational and humanitarian efforts. She established a fund that awards scholarships to outstanding students in major Chinese universities and Hunter College in New York City. For her dedication in promoting East and West, Yue-Sai has been presented with honorary doctorate degrees, Women of the Year Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards and countless humanitarian awards including an Exceptional Achievement Award from The United Nations and the World’s Leading Women Entrepreneur Award from the Star Group in 1999. Yue-Sai is also a member of the Committee of 100 and is involved with many Asian organizations in the United States and abroad and she has been named, along with several other international leaders and celebrities, by UNICEF as the first and only Global Chinese “Say Yes” Ambassador.

Yue-Sai Kan was born in Guilin, China and currently resides in New York City and Shanghai. Her website is www.yuesai.com.

Back to The AWIB 2001 Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony