LAST Nov. 3, Sony Music Asia hosted a big launching show for Coco Lee, the latest "regional" singer to make a major bid for truly international stardom. The event was fully supported by entertainment media from many Asian countries because Coco is the first Asian singer to be pushed so intensively to the top by a major label. The hope was that, if Coco made it, she could open international doors for other Asian talents as well.

Coco is well-placed to make it in the States because she is in fact a Chinese-American talent, having been born in Hong Kong but reared in San Francisco. Thus, she combines Asian charm with western zest and zing, and the mix could prove enticing and fresh to American pop fans.

Goodness knows, it has excited Chinese listeners, particularly in Taiwan. In only 18 months there, Coco recorded seven Chinese-language albums and two English-language discs. She held a major concert in August, 1998 and astounded everyone by drawing an audience of 30,000 people.

This made Sony Music Asia conclude that, with her Asian base so strong, Coco was ready for international music stardom, much like Ricky Martin, whom Sony had successfully launched internationally earlier this year. Thus, the Nov. 3 launch in Hong Kong.

The event was kicked off by a mini-concert held at the plush Regent hotel's ballroom. As bad luck would have it, Coco, who is usually as healthy as a thoroughbred, fell victim to a bad case of the flu on that most important day of her life.

But she refused to crawl to her bed and pass up this chance of a lifetime, so, after downing an energy-reviving potion prepared by her doctor-mother, she dared the fates to do their worst and ran out onstage to start her mini-show with a big bang.

Truth to tell, Coco didn't completely succeed in rising above her illness. She visibly struggled to stay on her feet, her voice turned hoarse as she hit those demanding high notes, she rasped out her spiels, and, when the audience clamored for an encore, it wasn't clear at first that she still had any energy left to oblige.

So, her performance was not the best it could have been. But it was clear to the audience that here was a gutsy, larger-than-life, never-say-die talent who genuinely loved performing and wanted to "sell" herself to the media as best she could, despite her illness.

As a result, the "flawed" show ended up as a triumph for the young singer, who showed that she had heart as well as talent. It seemed likely that she would do very well indeed with her international career.

In addition to her impressive set of lungs and her determination to sing to the whole world, Coco's other plus points in her quest for international stardom include the savvy packaging that she has been given by way of her first international album, "Just No Other Way."

To make sure that the album clicks in the west and elsewhere, Coco's 550 Music debut album features songs written and produced by some of the best talents in the music business:

Bradley co-wrote and co-produced "Simple Days" with Babyface. Dane DeViller and Sean Hosein have written songs for 98 Degrees, The Corrs and LFO. Cutfather and Joe have had five No. 1 songs on music charts in the United Kingdom.

Frankie Knuckles has produced and remixed songs for Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, Michael Bolton, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Toni Braxton. Ric Wake's credits include songs for Marc Anthony, Boyzone, Mariah Carey, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Barry Manilow. Clearly, Coco Lee is in the best of hands.

In addition, she's getting a big boost from MTV, which is currently "going loco over Coco." Ongoing until Nov. 14 is MTV's series of 30-second exclusive screenings of the "Do You Want My Love?" music video from Coco's new album.

Other MTV boosts for Coco include interviews during her album promo tour of Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand and the Philippines. MTV Mandarin has also chosen her as its Artist of the Month for November.

Coco's launching show and MTV accentuate her "international" appeal by packaging her to project a "fresh, wholesome yet sexy" image, and by surrounding her with many male American dancers, who look completely taken by her funky charm.

Indeed, if it weren't for her doe eyes and oriental coloring, she could be a younger version of Mariah Carey or Celine Dion strutting her hot stuff in similarly streetsmart fashion.