| 2004 rank | name | description |
| 1 | Larry Rong Zhijian | The earliest of our list to make his mark in the international community, Rong today is head of Citic Pacific, a Hong Kong listed company with a market capitalisation of US$5.5 billion and interests that span aviation, civil infrastructure, real estate, telecoms and high tech. The son of one of China’s most prominent Red Capitalists, a term used to describe pre-revolutionary tycoons who stayed on after the establishment of the People’s Republic to reconstruct the country, Rong is a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference for a record fourth five-year term. This past year, Citic has been expanding its interests in steel and online games. |
| 2 | Lu Guanqiu | At the forefront of most of the key economic turning points of the last twenty years, Lu runs Wanxiang Group, the country’s leading auto parts manufacturer with sales last year of US$1.8 billion and 12,000 employees. This year, Lu wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister Wen Jiabao about the impact of the government’s austerity measures on private businesses. A delegate to the National People’s Congress for a second term, Lu has led by example and commands significant respect from the rest of the business community. |
| 3 | Zong Qinghou | Known for his innovative marketing, Zong has built up Wahaha into the leading domestic drinks brand with sales last year of US$1.2 billion and 20,000 employees. A delegate to the National People’s Congress, Zong has this year started to make inroads into the US drinks market. |
| 4 | Huang Guangyu | As China’s retail industry fully opens up at the end of the year under the WTO agreement, Huang has positioned GoMe as the country’s leading electronics retailer with sales last year of US$2.1 billion and giving work to 40,000 people. Despite his young age, we have included Huang in the Power List on account of the impact he has upon China’s electronics industry. |
| 5 | Xu Rongmao | Continuing to set the pace for real estate developers in China, Xu this year has been strengthening Shimao’s real estate brand, by expanding into second-tier cities, overseas and into hotels, and generating sales last year of US$840 million. Xu is a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. |
| 6 | Xu Ming | Based in the under-developed North East of China, Xu has been positioning Shide in the fast opening up oil industry with the announcement this year of a 50:50 Saudi joint venture to establish a US$5 billion ethanol plant. We have included Xu, despite his young age, based on the scale and impact of the petrochemical industry as well as his ownership of China’s most successful soccer team. |
| 7 | Huang Rulun | One of the most generous of China’s entrepreneurs, Huang has donated US$40 million to philanthropy over the years. We include Huang on our list for the first time for the impact he has had on the capital’s real estate industry. |
| 8 | Timothy Chen Tianqiao | The youngest on our Power List, Chen controls China’s largest Nasdaq-listed company by market value (US$1.7 billion) and is a source of inspiration for many of China’s youth with the development of his online games business. |
| 9 | Liu Yonghao | Liu is a former vice chairman of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce (the business association for private companies) and a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference for a third term. Building his business in agriculture, an industry affecting hundreds of millions of Chinese, Liu today is a strategic investor into the fast opening up finance sector. |
| 10 | Shen Wenrong | Shen has steered Shagang to become China’s largest privately controlled iron and steel business with sales last year of US$2.5 billion and 9,500 employees. Shen was a delegate to the 16th Party Congress and is a delegate to the National People’s Congress for a second term. |
