There is little doubt Lou Jiwei, China’s finance minister until November, was more constrained than many global peers. In Chinese politics, the party is almost everything and President Xi Jinping is everything else.
That makes it all the more impressive that Lou emerged as a savvy, reform-minded finance minister in three years in office. He was pivotal in an overhaul of the tax system, and when bedraggled investors needed reassurance, he gave it.
That helped him to 5th place in our Finance Minister of the Year rankings, an improvement on the 7th position he held last year.
Lou’s outspoken persona drew headlines...
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