Status of women in China…observations

This is a follow up on a conversation I had with someone about the improving status and respect for women in China.  I made a note to myself to pay more attention while I was here, so here goes…

I’m attending the Asia-Pacific + Japan PMO summit here in Shanghai — BTW, I can get to WP for the moment — and my Chinese counterpart is a woman.  FWIW, a few observations about her and women in the SAP China organization:

1. She’s the only woman in the room — at least five other countries or market units are represented.
2. She is the highest-ranking person from APJ attending the meeting (the leader of the China organization introduced the meeting).  Her role is more like mine — a broader span of control than strictly “PMO.”  She owns delivery operations activities as well (e.g., resource management, financial reporting); luckily for her she doesn’t have the . 
3. The China organization has several other prominent women — on my last visit I met with an equal number of men and women. 

Doesn’t exactly fit the stereotype, eh?