GM Xie Jun

GM Xie Jun was the eighth women’s world champion, the sixth woman to achieve the grandmaster title, and China’s first to accomplish either feat. 

In 1984, she became China’s girls' chess champion. In 1988, Xie shared second place at the World Junior Girls' Championship, and just three years later she was playing for the women's world championship against fellow all-time great GM Maia Chiburdanidze. Xie won the match and retained her title until 1996, and then held it again from 1999-2001. She is currently the President of the Chinese Chess Association (as of February 2021).