Yu Wenxia, Miss China, Crowned Miss World 2012

ORDOS, China -- China's Yu Wenxia has been crowned the 2012 Miss World.

This is the second time Miss China has been awarded the title. The last time was in 2007 when Zhang Zilin took the honor.

The first runner-up is Sophie Elizabeth Moulds of Wales and the second runner-up is Jessica Michelle Kahawaty of Australia.

The 23-year-old Yu is a music student who says she wants to become a music teacher.

This is the first time for the Inner Mongolian city of Ordos to host the international beauty pageant.

The city is one of the richest regions in China thanks to its abundant natural resources. It hopes the world event will raise its profile for economic development and tourism.

Sanya, another Chinese city, has hosted the contest several times.

Loading Slideshow

• Yu Wenxia, Jessica Kahawaty

  Newly crowned Miss World Yu Wenxia of China, center back, and second runner-up Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty, second from left in foreground, are congratulated by other contestants during the Miss World 2012 beauty pageant at the Ordos Stadium Arena in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

• Yu Wenxia, Sophie Moulds, Jessica Kahawaty

  Newly crowned Miss World Yu Wenxia of China, center, holds hand with first runner-up Miss Wales Sophie Moulds, center left, and 2nd runner-up Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty, center right, as they sing during the Miss World 2012 beauty pageant at the Ordos Stadium Arena in inner Mongolia, China Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

• Yu Wenxia, Sophie Moulds, Jessica Kahawaty

  Newly crowned Miss World Yu Wenxia of China, center, is congratulated by first runner-up Miss Wales, Sophie Moulds, left, and 2nd runner-up Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty, right, during the Miss World 2012 beauty pageant at the Ordos Stadium Arena in inner Mongolia, China Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

• Yu Wenxia, Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares

  Miss World 2011, Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares of Venezuela, behind, crowns Yu Wenxia of China as the Miss World 2012 during the Miss World 2012 beauty pageant at the Ordos Stadium Arena in inner Mongolia, China Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

• Miss World 2012 winner Yu Wenxia (C) of China, second place contestant Miss Wales Sophie Moulds (L) and third place Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty (R) pose for photos following the pageant's final ceremony at the Ordos Stadium Arena in the inner Mongolian city of Ordos on August 18, 2012. (Ed Jones/AFP/GettyImages)

• Miss World 2012 winner Yu Wenxia (C) of China waves as she stands next to second place contestent Miss Wales Sophie Moulds (L) and third place Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty (R) during the pageant's final ceremony at the Ordos Stadium Arena in the inner Mongolian city of Ordos on August 18, 2012. (Ed Jones/AFP/GettyImages)

• Miss World 2012 winner Yu Wenxia (C) of China waves as she walks to receive the crown during the pageant's final ceremony at the Dongsheng stadium in the inner Mongolian city of Ordos on August 18, 2012. (Ed Jones/AFP/GettyImages)

Comments

[maxim100]

04:30 PM on 08/22/2012

This whole thing is just another opportunity for haters and sour losers to come out of the woodwork, and for people to make blatantly racist comments. So Miss China won and the contest was held in China? So what? Every time that Miss Universe is held in a US city, Miss USA always does well and gets a lot of cheers and support from the audience!

In fact, I've heard that Miss USA is always guarantee to a spot in the Top 10 in the Miss Universe pageant since the pageant is owned by American Donald Trump, and they sure that Miss USA is a finalist to ensure that the US audiences keep watching! Just as Miss UK always does well in the British-owned Miss World contest!

And this is no different from a sports team having the "home town advantage" whenever a match is held in their city or country?

[Robert A Hayes]

04:06 PM on 08/22/2012

what's the difference between world and universe in pageant terms?

[maxim100]

05:36 PM on 08/22/2012

Typically, whoever wins a country's beauty competition goes on to compete in Miss Universe, and the first runner-up go to compete in Miss World. This is why Halle Berry competed in Miss World - she was first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, and Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai who was first runner-up in Miss India went on to compete (and win) Miss World that year.

[Robert A Hayes]

06:39 PM on 08/22/2012

thanks.

[ChicagoBob]

12:47 AM on 08/25/2012

I had no idea about this. I just though they were two completely different beauty pageants each developed for its own enrichment.

I am now a fan. You seem to know more than I do.

[Venkat Sudi]

03:34 PM on 08/22/2012

This is so Fake, everything about China is real fake these days. Miss India looked much better.

http://vankaya.com/gallery/vanyamishra

Miss Canada looked great too

[prtm2291]

05:05 PM on 08/23/2012

i'm not indian but still i say miss india was better than miss china and india deserved to win.

[j2bin]

02:19 PM on 08/22/2012

China as in most everything cannot be trusted, be it in sports, in food stufff "lots of fakeky", goods, now even beauty pageants! Shameful China. Your are the greatest bully in the world!

[maxim100]

04:22 PM on 08/22/2012

Gee - people use to say that about the US, and in many countries around the world - this still do! Just substitute China with US in your comment above.

[Chenopia]

10:57 PM on 08/22/2012

They Judge, yet when they do it, they don't complain

[against corrupt]

04:49 AM on 08/22/2012

That's so shameful for Ms. China to be crowned as Ms. World. Where's her pride and honor for this corwn.. So obvious that China cooked this pageant. What's new for China to be honest where this country is known for cheating and manipulation and GREEDINESS. Hometown and venue of the pageant and have the country'c contestant to win in the pageant is not so shocking. Obviously, this is being anticipated already by the world. This country has no integrity at all.

[EDWARD KILLIAN]

09:32 AM on 08/22/2012

No integrity. Like Wall Street.

[s w11111]

11:17 PM on 08/22/2012

please the US are the most greedy people. never share anything, not polite, rude, manipulative, big-mouthed, and at that self-riteous. US never does any wrong according to US people but they are the biggest bullies, liars, and cant be trusted to keep any secrets or loyalty and will sell you out at the sight of dollar signs. $$. :D

[SM SL]

03:19 AM on 08/22/2012

I believe that the other contestants are better than Miss China. The judges should have been wise in choosing the winner. That's what judges are for...impartial, free from prejudice, and has the ability to choose the winner not being effected by the screaming crowd. I wonder if there is still any credibility left on this kind of beauty contest. So sad :(

[Nadine Ramdoo]

02:18 AM on 08/22/2012

Why Why, must you taint everything with jealous and negative statements, This young deserve to win. its not just facial beauty, its also fitness and talent, and her talent was very strong. She won fair and square.She had the whole package.

[j2bin]

02:20 PM on 08/22/2012

Could it be coincidence that China wins whenever the Miss World pageant is held there. I bet you, put in an orang-utang as Miss China next year and held it in China and that orang-utang will win.

[Chenopia]

10:42 PM on 08/22/2012

Yeah and when an American wins something in America, None of you say anything.

[mrrodney]

01:48 AM on 08/22/2012

She's dumb as a rock. Just watch her youtube video. What part of Miss World is in there when she can't even communicate to the world and the world is disagreeing to her title?
All host countries will usually see their contestant in the finals. The Chinese have come a long way in beauty pageants. China is the biggest and best cheaters! they have perfected it!
The Miss World Pageant has almost 100 contestants while Mr. Trump's Miss Universe has 83, Miss World has 2.5 BILLION viewers while Miss Unvierse 600 million. These beauty pageants still exist? People still actually care?

[maxim100]

06:07 PM on 08/22/2012

How do you know she's dumb as a rock ? Do you speak Mandarin Chinese? I've seen the video too and knowing Chinese, I can tell you that her response was actually very good and poised. Unfortunately, her translator did a terrible job in translating her answer by stumbling through it and not accurately translating every thing she said.

In my opinion, she's also the prettiest by far of the top 7 finalist. While many beautiful women can look harsh and kind of stuck-up, Miss China looks beautiful and very SWEET as well.

[Chenopia]

10:42 PM on 08/22/2012

These people are just ignorant, they think they know her

[Davis Costa Ssempuuma]

01:44 AM on 08/22/2012

She is relly pretty though, it is all about man’s natural instinct, if at all say I rise up to call myself a prophet, I shall tell the world that my tribe or race is very special and the only chosen by God etc and so goes the Mrs. Universe and Mrs. World!

[seriouslyRUserious]

10:23 PM on 08/22/2012

what are you talking about

[Voda Beta]

11:35 PM on 08/21/2012

She's pretty just like every other girls.

[Chenopia]

10:09 PM on 08/21/2012

All of you people are just pissed that Chinese are better than you. You mad Bro?

[maxim100]

04:36 PM on 08/22/2012

You may be right. It's no longer PC to make discriminatory or racist comments about black people, but people think that they can make them against a Chinese or Asian person!

Or maybe since China has become the next superpower of the world and America and much of Europe is going bankrupt - there's fear and distrust where China is concerned. Just as there was a huge wave of anti-Japanese sentiment when the Japanese economy was doing so well in the 80s and huge Japanese corporations were buying up America!

[mountzion144]

08:54 PM on 08/21/2012

She is very pretty, She looks like a living doll. Why are there so many haters here? Look up past winners in past years. They were from other countries. I know that in the USA pageants, Ive never seen an asian win .

[AngelaMC]

08:06 PM on 08/21/2012

It is obvious china set this up just to try and slap us in the face after inilating them in the Olympics! When other countries host pageants they base their judging on all categories of talent-USA does for sure! Do they really think Yu Wenxia is more Talented, educated or beautiful than the other women,not even! I think the board/committee needs to look in to this further...

[Chenopia]

10:11 PM on 08/21/2012

You freaking need to get a life. You don't know her, why you judging her?
When America wins, do you freaking complain that US officials are cheating?

[against corrupt]

04:50 AM on 08/22/2012

@Chenopia: Because China is known to manipulate everything and greediness.. Hometown as this say and it's so easy to deal things when it's within your control.

[AngelaMC]

04:03 PM on 08/22/2012

First of all,I do have a liffe that's why i put up this post! I have been to Asia,know how arrogant, and corrupt they can be and married to an Asian- who thinks it was favouritism.I have every right to judge when we all know it was "set" up for her to win for China. If this happened in America with "all American judges, knowing that others were more suited for the crown,"I would say the same thing. If you haven't noticed others are questioning the winning decision too...so this is a legitament argument. I also remember China getting accused of doing a lot of cheating with under-aged Olympic gymnasts in 2008 - but of course, documents can be altered easily...no need for you to be so defensive.

[Bunny007]

06:46 PM on 08/21/2012

Sad that she or her country's pageant officials probably paid thousands to remove her actual Chinese features---(eyelid surgery)--

[sumiyati lie]

07:47 PM on 08/21/2012

probably not.some chinese got big eye n double lid

[Ryanzzzz]

01:12 AM on 08/22/2012

Very stupid comment. Not all asians have super slanty eyes.

[Dede Eagleburger]

11:20 AM on 08/21/2012

Congrast Miss China!! and all the rest too...!!!