China White (character)

China White was the leader of a drug crime group that dominated the South Pacific.[1] She supplied heroin imports for the West Coast United States, Australia, Japan, and the entire Pacific Rim from her base of operations on a volcanic island in Fiji. Many years ago, millionaire playboy Oliver Queen found himself manipulated into financing several of China White's operations, though he was unaware that he was secretly investing in a crime group. When Ollie's presence threatened to expose China White, she ordered the mercenary henchman Hackett to kill him. Hackett beat up Oliver and tossed him over the side of his boat, the Pacific Queen. Ollie survived and managed to make his way to the island. He discovered China White's poppy fields and learned that she had been using local villagers as slave labor to sow the fields. When she discovered that Hackett had failed to kill Oliver Queen, she ordered him to finish the job or else he would spend his last days being slowly eaten away in a rat-infested cage.[2]

White was a formidable martial artist, and was rumored to be a great assassin.

Kelly Hu as China White as she appears in Arrow.

• Chien Na Wei / China White appears in Arrow, portrayed by Kelly Hu.[4] This version is an assassin-for-hire and a high-ranking member, later leader following the death of her mentor Zhishan, of Starling City's local triad who seeks to further their drug trade. As a result, she frequently crosses paths with Oliver Queen following their first encounter in Hong Kong during flashbacks depicted in the third season. Throughout the series, she has tried to steal the Alpha-Omega Virus, mounted a failed assassination attempt on Malcolm Merlyn, joined forces with Ben Tuner, Liza Warner, and Carrie Cutter, and worked for A.R.G.U.S.'s Ghost Initiative before being deported back to China, where she reunited with her triad.
  • Chien Na Wei appears in a self-titled issue of the Arrow tie-in comic. In flashbacks, she suffered childhood abuse from her father before he and Chien's mother were killed by Zhishan. However, a streak of Chien's hair turned white due to her fear of her father, which led to her being mocked by her peers and bleaching the rest of her hair with hydrogen peroxide to turn it completely white. She is later approached by Zhishan, who promised to make her stronger and more like him.