Chinese President Hu Jintao has a new line to add to his resume, “The World’s Most Powerful Man.”
Forbes, an influential American business publication, recently released a list of the world’s 68 most powerful people, awarding the top honor to the Chinese leader.Â
Standing in his shadow in the Number 2 spot is U.S. President Barack Obama.
The rankings reflect a marked change on the world stage. President Hu was chosen for his ability to govern 1.3 billion people, lead the world’s largest army, and spearhead major public projects. Additionally, Forbes noted that China has overtaken Japan as the world’s second largest economy and holds the largest financial reserves.
The World Bank recently raised its forecasts for China’s economic growth to 10 percent this year, up from 9.5 percent. Meanwhile, most developed countries continue to struggle though an economic slump.Â
In compiling the Most Powerful People 2010 rankings, Forbes says the judging criteria included influence over a large population, significant financial resources, and the ability to wield power and apply it over multiple spheres.
The rankings include 68 well-known personalities, meant to correspond to the current world population of 6.8 billion people. Other prominent Chinese on the list include Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor of the People’s Bank of China at number 11; Lou Jiwei, Chairman of the China Investment Corporation at number 30; and Baidu CEO Robin Li at number 46.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the highest ranking female at number 6; Warren Buffett ranked at number 33; and American talk show host Oprah Winfrey was listed at number 64. The rankings round out with Julian Assange, the editor-in-chief of the internet whistleblower site, Wikileaks, in the 68th spot.
