Chinese pop queen Faye Wong and her actor husband Li Yapeng held a charity banquet Tuesday night in Beijing, where their Smile Angle Foundation collected 8.45 million yuan. 　

The celebrity-heavy dinner raised money for Smile Angel Foundation, also known as Yanran Angel Foundation, which was founded by the power couple to help children with cleft palates.

Attendants included actresses Zhao Wei and Xu Jinglei, singer Na Ying and director Zhang Jizhong.

The number of media reporters was limited at the event, which Ma Jia, Li Yapeng's agent, explained was to let attendees focus on the charity auction.

Items at the auction, including jewelry and valuable Pu'er tea, were all from celebrities' collections.

A hundred security guards were on site to maintain order.

Faye Wong and Li Yapeng welcomed their first daughter in May this year. However, the little girl, named Li Yan, was born with a harelip.

The couple later took Li Yan for treatment in the United States and set up the Smile Angel Foundation.

Tuesday's banquet was Faye Wong's first public appearance after giving birth to Li Yan.

Money was collected through an auction held during the banquet. The highest bid was 5 million yuan for a jade bowl that was donated by Hong Kong actor Tony Leung. 　

Up till now, the foundation has collected altogether 12 million yuan, including donations before Tuesday's banquet. It's estimated that the money will be able to help some 2,400 children with harelip, as each operation costs five thousand yuan.

(CRI December 27, 2006)