美国《福布斯》杂志8月31日推出全球100位“女强人”，沉稳干练的德国总理、“铁娘子”默克尔荣登榜首，取代美国国务卿赖斯成为全球最有影响力女性。在公布的100名女性榜单上，中国国务院副总理吴仪、中国人民银行副行长吴晓灵、海尔集团总裁杨绵绵也都榜上有名，分别居第3、第35和第70位。 《福布斯》对上榜的三位中国女性评价都非常高，其中，中国国务院副总理吴仪在开拓维护新市场的同时，还为加强知识产权保护和改善贸易不均衡局面做出了巨大贡献。

Vice¹ premier² Wu Yi poses for a group photo with women at home and abroad in Beijing in this March 7, 2006 file photo. [newsphoto]" src="/upimg/allimg/20060916/1405380.jpg" border="0" />
Vice premier Wu Yi poses for a group photo with women at home and abroad in Beijing in this March 7, 2006 file photo. [newsphoto]

She is known as "China's iron lady," but impresses the world with her soft tone and charming smiles.

She dreamed of becoming a greatentrepreneurin her youth, but turned into the only female figure in China's core of political power.

Elegant and intelligent, Vice-Premier Wu Yi, 67, is the world's third most powerful woman, according to a Forbes magazine list published on Friday. It also said German Chancellor³ Angela Merkel overtook US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the world's most powerful woman, with Rice ranking second.

But Wu is not the only influential⁴ Chinese woman to feature on the list. She is joined by Wu Xiaoling, 59, vice-governor of the People's Bank of China, and Yang Mianmian, 65, chairwoman and executive director at the Haier Group, the world's fourth-largest manufacturer of household appliances. They respectively rank 35th and 70th on the list of the world's 100 most powerful women.

China's resource-starved and fast-paced economy has kept Vice-Premier Wu busy this year, the US-based magazine said.

"Among the issues on her very full plate are addressing intellectual copyright concerns and trade imbalances while nurturing⁵ new markets," it said.

She placated⁶ the European Union when she declared that "bilateral⁷ trade co-operation is in the common interests of both sides."

She announced more than US$18 billion worth of government contracts, including an estimated US$5 billion order for Boeing aircraft, while visiting the United States in April.

She also travelled to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on an official goodwill⁸ visit, part of international efforts to tackle the DPRK nuclear issue.

"In my eyes, Wu is a wise and capable woman, and a little bit aggressive. Her benevolent⁹ smiles always give others a sense of security," said Chen Ruya, who works for a foreign consultancy company in Beijing.

Her outstanding performances in China's diplomatic activities guaranteed her place on the list, Chen said.

Wu helped hammer out five trade agreements with Russia in 1999 and oversaw¹⁰ delicate negotiations¹¹ for China's accession to the World Trade Organization.

Wu ranked second in 2004 and 2005 on the Forbes' list. Its annual listing is based on a power ranking that is a composite of visibility measured by media citations¹² and economic impact.

(China Daily)

Vocabulary:

entrepreneur: 企业家

household appliances:家用电器

a sense of security: 安全感