Chen, Jay Chou on top-50 list of most influential people

The UK's Royal Institute of International Affairs is listing President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and pop star Jay Chou (周杰倫) among the top 50 people with influence over China.

The list is contained in an article titled "China's Top Fifty: the China Power List," which was published on Monday by Kerry Brown, an associate fellow with the London-based think tank.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) and Hong Kong business tycoon Li Ka-shing (李嘉誠) topped the list, in that order.

US President George W. Bush ranked fourth while Chen was fifth. Chou occupied 38th spot.

Commenting on Kerry's China power list, the BBC's Chinese Web site said that with its booming economy, China was wielding increasing clout over world affairs and that the institute's list of Chinese individuals was an attempt by a Western think tank to put the microscope on China's growing global influence.

Brown said the criteria for inclusion on the list were simple. All the people on it must be alive. They did not have to be Chinese -- thus the presence of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Bush -- but their influence had to be felt inside the People's Republic of China and not elsewhere -- not Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.

The Dalai Lama and Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi (李洪志) also made the list.