Taiwan defector to be World Bank economist

Lin is the founder and director of the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University, according to group’s Web site. Lin, 55, was born in Taiwan and moved to China. The two World Bank officials spoke on condition of anonymity because a final decision has yet to be made.

Lin defected from Taiwan to China in 1979 while serving in the army by swimming between Kinmen in Taiwan to Xiamen in the People’s Republic of China, said a former World Bank official.

“He has been a prolific writer on Chinese policy issues and agriculture as well as an experienced policy adviser,” said Nicholas Lardy, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute in Washington.

The selection would mark the first time the chief economist’s post goes to a candidate from outside Europe and the U.S. since the job was created in 1972. South Africa and other nations pushed to end the monopoly of Europeans and Americans for the top roles at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, when Robert Zoellick took the helm last year.

Lin has served as a consultant to the World Bank since 1993, according to the profile published by his employer. Lin didn’t return e-mails or phone calls seeking comment.

Xinhua News Agency reported that Lin is on a list of several candidates and the result will come next week, citing Chen Xi, Lin’s assistant.

Lin completed a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago in 1986 and a Master’s degree in political economy from Peking University in 1982, according to Peking University.

Merrell Tuck, a spokesman for the World Bank, said that no decision has yet been taken. “The board and management will be considering who to appoint soon,” she said.

If approved, Lin would replace Francois Bourguignon, who stepped down as chief economist in October 2007 after four years in the post. The job has also been held by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and Nobel Prize in economics laureate Joseph Stiglitz.

Zoellick served from 2005 to 2006 as U.S. deputy secretary of State, where he served as the Bush administration’s point man for engaging with China. He has advocated continuing World Bank loan programs to China since taking office, even as some critics said the world’s fastest growing major economy may no longer need the group’s help.

Lin is the author of more than a dozen books and over than 100 articles, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He has written widely on agriculture, which Zoellick identified as a priority for the World Bank at the group’s annual meeting in October.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email