China's Wu Yi Should Inspire Women Everywhere

There's a lot of praise these days for Wu Yi, the 69-year-old Chinese vice premier for international trade, and it's coming from both the Chinese-language press and America. At the second round of the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) in Washington, D.C., last week, Wu warded off a series of U.S. offensives on China's policies on foreign exchange and intellectual property rights, and at the same time won several concessions for her country.

"She gave cheap gifts worth US$20 billion to the U.S., but defended her country's 'sovereignty' on foreign exchange," said Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper. "The 'Iron Lady' with her heaven-sent charms has lulled the U.S. to sleep," wrote Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao newspaper.

During the latest round of the SED, following the first one last December, the U.S. side, especially Congress, seemed so bloodthirsty that the dialogue was likened to a 21st century Banquet at Hongmen. The original Banquet at Hongmen was a dastardly plot by the warrior Xiang Yu to murder his rival Liu Bang, the founder of the Chinese Han Dynasty, during the last days of the Qin Dynasty. Quoting bits from Sima Qian's "Historical Annals," the Chinese press compared Vice Premier Wu's journey with the Qin-era blood feast.

But despite her advanced age, the short-statured white-haired Wu faced the confrontation head-on. She deflected the force of the U.S. offensives by countering them with soft bargains, including opening up China to foreign bank card companies and expanding bilateral aviation ties. She also raised the ceiling on foreign investment in China's stock market and signaled an increased willingness to cooperate on energy and the environment.

Her masterstroke came at a dinner hosted by American businessmen on May 24, when she suggested that the U.S. abandon its own protectionist policies. The U.S., she said, could have shrunk its trade deficit by $70 billion last year if it had eased export regulations to China for state-of-the-art technology.

Despite her stubborn style, Wu is the U.S. government's favorite Chinese dialogue partner. She was appointed China's first-ever female vice premier three years ago. In May 2005, when China's tensions with Japan were at their peak, she abruptly canceled a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and returned home. For that, Chinese Internet surfers labeled her a heroine.

After graduating from the China University of Petroleum in Beijing, Wu began her career as an engineer at a petroleum plant in Lanzhou. She didn't find success through sheer luck. In 1988 when she was vice mayor of Beijing, she stayed in her office even after hours, sleeping on a cot, for more than a year.

During the SARS crisis of 2003 Wu was appointed chief of the office for SARS prevention and eradication. She worked so hard that she ended up popping sleeping pills to fight off fatigue. Following her success in containing the crisis, a ballad circulated on Chinese websites literally singing her praises.

The emergence of "heroines" like Wu Yi is a global phenomenon. In the U.S., women have taken charge of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, including Carla Hills, Charlene Barshefsky and Susan Schwab.

There are several distinguished female heads of state, like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. It's the era of the "alpha girls" -- those women who are better than men in everything from leadership to academics to sports. (As defined by Professor Dan Kindlon of Harvard University.)

In Korea, women accounted for more than 64 percent of the 90 new judge trainees who graduated from the Judicial Research & Training Institute this year. Women soldiers make up 2.5 percent of Korea's Air Force. We should expect to see more Korean "iron ladies" distinguish themselves, not just in sports and business, but also in areas concerned with protecting our national interests.

This column was contributed by Song Eui-dal, the Chosun Ilbo’s correspondent in Hong Kong.