Chinese Stars Making Waves in the West

China's growing assertiveness in the region and build up of its military might may have caused Western powers to sit up and take notice.

But the economic powerhouse's rising prominence on the global stage has also seen the rise of Chinese stars in the West.

From Hollywood to basketball courts to the runways, these celebrities are not only making an indelible mark in their respective fields, but also on pop culture that used to be dictated by the West.

Click ahead to see the Chinese names to watch in the coming years.

By Geraldine Tan
Posted 24 January 2011

At 2.29 meters, the NBA player Yao Ming towers over most of his peers in both his height and star power.

Born in Shanghai, he is one of China's best-known athletes, with sponsorships with several major companies.

In recent year though, the Houston Rockets' player has been plagued by numerous injuries, causing him to sit out on the entire 2009-2010 NBA season.

But the setbacks on the courts has not hindered his earning power — the basketball star earned $17.7 million in his 2010/11 contract with the Houston Rockets.

The action star is by far the most recognizable Asian actor in the West, even receiving his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

But Chan's foray into the West has not been smooth sailing. His first U.S. film venture in 1980s failed to attract much attention, forcing him to return his focus to the East. His big break finally came in 1995 with the release of Rumble in the Bronx.

The popular Rush Hour franchise, which he co-stars in, was a success in the box office, with its third installment grossing over $250 million in 2007.

That film earned Chan $15 million and 15 percent of the film's gross income, making it a cool grand total of $52.5 million.

The China-born beauty has found international acclaim for her acting, winning accolades from the Cannes Film Festival and the New York Film Critics Circle Award.

Best remembered in the West for her role as the vindictive Hatsumomo in 2005's Memoirs of a Geisha, Gong has also been the face of L'Oreal cosmetics in China since 1997 — a deal that is likely to have earned her millions over the years.

The path taken by Zhang is uncannily similar to fellow thespian Gong, her co-star in Memoirs of a Geisha. Yjeu both graduated from the famed Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and got discovered by acclaimed Hong Kong director, Zhang Yimou.

The actress has also signed a lucrative cosmetics contract with Maybelline but the Beijing native has yet to gain the same kind of recognition for her acting chops as Gong.

The Beijing-born actor who first made his name in Chinese martial arts competitions has made a smooth transition from China to Hollywood, starring in the successful Lethal Weapon and The Mummy franchises.

Although he has not had as much commercial success in the U.S. as fellow celebrity Jackie Chan, the actor still received a sizable $13 million for his role in the Mandarin-language film, Warlords in 2007.

The Hong Kong-based thespian, known for his ability to traverse roles from villain to comedian, has yet to enjoy the commercial success of his celebrity peer, Jackie Chan.

While Chow has landed meaty roles in movies like Anna and the King and Pirates of the Carribean, he has yet to rake in the big bucks in the U.S.

The Xi'an-born director, who oversaw the stunning 2008 Beijing Olympics' opening and closing ceremony, is no stranger in Hollywood.

He has garnered three nominations in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards.

Although he has yet to claim an Academy Award, his films have won him recognition at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.

Woo is possibly the first Chinese director to gain commercial success in Hollywood with his 1997 offering Face/Off — the action flick grossing over $100 million in the U.S. Box office.

Know for his slick and highly choreographed action sequences, he was also responsible for directing Tom Cruise in another box office hit, Mission: Impossible II.

Liu is the first Asian face of Estee Lauder — the cosmetics giant signing on the model in 2010. She has also appeared in ad campaigns for major brands like Calvin Klein, DKNY and Gap.

But that was not the only first the Hunan-born beauty scored. She was also the first woman of East Asian descent to grace the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2009, and returning to its runway again in 2010.

The Shanghai-born model is the newest face to join the Maybelline fold, joining thespian Zhang Ziyi.

The model, who broke onto the international scene in 2007, has walked the runway in New York and Paris for luxury brands like Christian Dior, Prada and Chanel.