AGE: 66
OCCUPATION: President of China
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 4
PRO: Despite calls for a boycott, the Beijing Olympics were a hit — the perfect showcase for not only the country's theatrical pomp, but also its managerial acumen. And according to the completely reliable Chinese media, Hu is beloved by his constituents!
CON: The crackdown on Tibet and the release of the Charter 08 proclamation have raised greater awareness of China's human-rights abuses. And the country's overreliance on exports is crippling its economy.