From The Sunday Times:
In the late 18th century, China was probably the biggest economy on earth. When British envoys came to plead for trade, the Emperor Qianlong dismissed them grandly.
But China fell into revolutions, war, famine and chaos. Only since 1979 has it risen again. Next year it will probably surpass Japan, leaving America as its only rival. And as it does so, Chinese businessmen will take the world stage for the first time.
Some economists warn that China is stoking up its own asset bubbles and running the risk of a banking loans crisis. Others see a nation full of confidence, sure it will overcome transient booms and busts on its march to prosperity.
As China grows in wealth and power, we have selected 10 business figures who will make a difference. Some could become household names in the next decade. This is not a rich list. It does not rely on measurement. It is an attempt to identify flair and innovation as well as sheer financial power in this complex, mystifying nation.
