The 2011 TIME 100 Poll

Cast your votes for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes that you think are the most influential people in the world. Though official voting for inclusion on the TIME 100 list has now closed (with Rain as the 2011 readers' choice), users can continue to vote for their favorites until the final list, selected by our editors, is revealed on Thursday, April 21st

TIME 100 Candidates

Hu Jintao

By TIME StaffMonday, Apr. 04, 2011
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Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images

Age: 68
Occupation: President of China
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 4

Over the past year, Hu Jintao saw his country surpass Japan as the world's second largest economy. He steadied the Asian giant through recession while presiding over one of the most rapidly modernizing militaries on the planet. A quiet, opaque operator, he also successfully installed a close ally of his, Xi Jinping, as his likely successor — possibly cementing his political legacy for years to come.

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