C han Laiwa is one of the world's wealthiest self-made women and a prominent real estate developer in Beijing. Born into a noble Manchu family that fell into poverty, her early life was marked by hardship. She started her entrepreneurial journey in the 1980s by repairing and reselling furniture before moving into real estate. She founded Fuwah International Group in Hong Kong and returned to Beijing to invest in property.

Her big break came in the 1990s when she developed the Jinbao Street project, transforming a central Beijing area into a high-end commercial district with luxury hotels, office buildings, and the exclusive Chang An Club. She is also a passionate curator and founder of the China Red Sandalwood Museum in Beijing, the country's largest private museum, which showcases her extensive collection of rare sandalwood furniture. She has largely handed over the day-to-day running of her real estate empire to her son.