Kobe Bryant made his way over to China for the 2008 Olympics, held in Beijing, and launched the China Fund in 2009.
The Kobe Bryant China Fund was set up to “raise money for education, sports, and culture programs for children from China and the United States”. “In the US, Bryant’s existing fund, the Kobe Bryant Family Foundation, set up in 2006, will also work to strengthen ties between the two countries by teaching middle school students about Chinese language and culture”. As of 2009, the fund has “raised a total of 42 million yuan, which is equivalent to 6.15 million dollars, from various enterprises.” The first donation was to the children of the quake-hit Sichuan Province, and was worth five million yuan or 732,000 dollars. At the charity event, for the China Fund, Bryant was presented with the Soong Ching-Ling Charity Award. Bryant said at the reception, “I am very excited to help kids be better (and), to have a better future.” Kobe helped initiate the foundation, and the chairman of the China Soong Ching-Ling Foundation (CSCLF), Hu Qili, presented him with his award. The CSCLF, “is a charity backed by the Chinese government which offers educational, healthcare, and sports programs to young people”. Many people like and admire Kobe Bryant but most NBA players do not “receive the same wild reception” as he does when he goes to China. Bryant has been on billboards, reality shows, commercials, and websites both in the United States and China. “Three factors driving Bryant’s popularity in China are his on-court talent, his philanthropic actions, and his appreciation of the country’s culture”. Apart from Yao Ming, Bryant is said to have the largest fan base in China and his no.24 jersey outsells the national hero Ming.