Magazine names Asia's most powerful women
Magazine names Asia's most powerful women
HONG KONG (UPI): Chinese Foreign Trade Minister Wu Yi, Nobel
Peace Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar and Hong Kong
publisher Sally Aw Sian joined three prime ministers Wednesday in
Asiaweek's list of Asia's most powerful women.
The selection, published in the Sept. 1 edition of the
regional newsweekly, ranged from 31-year-old Japanese author
Banana Yoshimoto to Thai hotelier Chanut Piyaoui, 74. More than
half of the women in the list were in politics and government.
"Power is control, authority and influence," said Asiaweek
managing editor Salman Wayne Morrison. "These women control vast
business empires, have authority to shape government policies and
have influence over how people think and what they believe."
The Asiaweek selection was based on suggestions of
correspondents, writers and editors in the region. Publication of
the list was timed to coincide with the Fourth U.N. Conference on
Women, which officially opens Sept. 4 in Beijing.
The list:
Khatijah Ahmad, Malaysian businesswoman
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Philippines senator and economist
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar opposition leader 1991 Nobel Peace Prize
winner
Sally Aw Sian, Hong Kong publisher
Rafidah Aziz, Malaysian finance minister
Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan prime minister
Anson Chan Fang On-sang, Hong Kong chief secretary and deputy
governor
Chang Heng Chee, Singapore academic and former U.N. ambassador
Chanut Piyaoui, Thai hotel magnate
Cheng Yen, Taiwan religious and social leader
Sonia Gandhi, Indian social leader, widow of Rajiv Gandhi
Asma Jahangir, Pakistan human rights leader
Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka prime minister
Ogata Sadako, U.N. high commissioner for refugees
Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Indonesian businesswoman, daughter of
President Soeharto
Leticia Ramos Shahani, Philippines senator, sister of President
Fidel Ramos
Doi Takako, Japanese politician
Wu Yi, China foreign trade minister
Dianne Ying Yun-peng, Taiwan publisher
Banana Yoshimoto, Japanese author
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh prime minister