SINGAPORE: China's president is the second most powerful man in the world after United States President Barack Obama, according to Forbes magazine.

Hu Jintao and Obama topped the new listing that comprises mainly political and industrial leaders.

Forbes said the rankings were based on the number of people over whom the powerful people held sway as well as the person's ability to project power beyond their immediate sphere of influence, their control of financial resources and how actively the person wields power.