HONG KONG — Many Malaysian-Chinese and Singaporean-Chinese actors and singers are big stars in Asia.

Born in Ipoh, Malaysia, former Miss Malaysia Michelle Yeoh has had a glittering career in Hollywood. Singer Fish Leong, born in Kuala Pilah District, Malaysia, is often thought of as Taiwanese, as her career took her to Taiwan, where she married her husband, Tony Chao, a wine merchant.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Stefanie Sun was born in Singapore but also started her career in Taiwan. She enjoys a huge fan base in China and has an upcoming concert in Suzhou in April. Singer Lin Jun Jie, or JJ Lin as he is also known, comes from Singapore too.

Following in their footsteps is another wave of entertainment talent from Malaysia and Singapore who are becoming increasingly influential in the Chinese entertainment industry. These five rising stars hit the jackpot with their recent forays in China:

1. LAWRENCE WONG

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The Singaporean became an overnight heartthrob among Chinese female fans last year when he starred in the hugely popular period drama Story of Yanxi Palace, playing the smart and handsome guard of emperor Qianlong. He also starred in drama series One Boat One World and has since graced the covers of many Chinese magazines.

He won the award for most promising actor in Asia at the 2018 Asian-American TV & Film festival staged in New York by the Asian-American TV & Film Alliance. Newspaper The Beijing News awarded him its 2018 Fashion Power Prize.

2. AZORA CHIN

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Born in Johor in Malaysia, Chin beat 90 wannabe stars on Chinese reality show Idol Producer, and became one of the nine members of pop band Nine Percent.

A graduate in music from the Nanjing University of the Arts, the tousled-haired, cherubic 24-year-old mesmerised audiences with his talent for singing.

Dubbed the piano little prince, Chin won the best new male singer prize in a ceremony organised last year by music platform music.163.com at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest.

3. RUJING YAN

Born in Malaysia, the chubby, bespectacled 27-year-old shot to instant fame after appearing in hit Chinese debate show Qipa Shuo or I Can I BIBI.

Produced by online video platforms iQiyi and Miwei Media, it completed its fifth season last year. The show pits two debate teams against each other in rounds of verbal jousting over a range topics, such as whether to attend an alumni reunion if you do badly in your career. With the appearance of a comedienne with bob hair and circular-black-rimmed glasses, the voluble orator impressed the audience with her acerbic wit and coruscating logic.

A Bahasa Melayu speaker and a graduate of the University of Malaya, Yan’s oratory prowess shone early when, as the leader of the university’s Chinese debating team, she competed in various debating contests at Asian universities.

Her novel arguments and confidence led commentators to call her the pride of Malaysia. She has also appeared in Chinese variety shows including the Tencent-produced Team Talk (2018).

4. VICTOR GU CHIAN PEOW

Another to conquer Chinese audiences with his powers of elocution is Victor Gu Chian Peow, another sparkling debater on I Can I BIBI. Born in Damansara Utama, Malaysia, the Chinese-speaking University of Malaya graduate is a former newsreader for Malaysian TV station NTV7.

As an active debater at university, he scooped various awards in international competitions.

Now the debating coach of Beijing Normal University’s Zhuhai campus, Gu’s scholarly charisma on Chinese talk shows, including the Youku-produced Black and White Planet (2016), won him legions of female fans.

5. LEON JAY WILLIAMS

The past few years have seen a wave of Malaysians and Singaporeans contesting China’s reality TV shows. Audience and judges were surprised by their talents and Southeast Asian origin.

The winner of Mister Singapore, a male model competition, in 2000, and the best body award at the Mister International Man awards in 2001, Leon Jay Williams appeared in the iQiyi-produced Running Calorie Season in 2016, flexing his muscles and showing off various sporting skills, including golf and woodball, a cross between croquet and golf. He went on to star in other Chinese productions, including the film Ice Cream Lover (2018). SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST