[mark_l_watson]

Chess is huge in China. The women’s world champion and also number two are both Chinese.

You are right that Chess is not as popular as Go in China.

[hgsgm]

Norway is a small country (1/300th the population of China) with Magnus Carlson. Chess could be of interest to a small fraction of China and still produce champions.

[kelipso]

Chess is not nearly as popular as Chinese chess (xiangqi) either.