Justin Yifu Lin (English Edition): A Legend of Diagnosing China‘s Economic Development

From Soldier to Scholar: The Making of a Development Legend

How does a young man who once served as a military officer become the foremost economic strategist of his generation?

This authorized biography traces the remarkable arc of Justin Yifu Lin’s life. Born in Taiwan and originally named Zhengyi Lin, he made a fateful swim to the mainland in 1979—a decision that would set him on a path from Peking University to the University of Chicago, where he studied under Nobel laureate Theodore Schultz. He later returned to China, founded the China Centre for Economic Research at Peking University, and in 2008 became the first economist from a developing nation to serve as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank.

The book, part of the "Chinese of the New Era" series commissioned to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, weaves Lin’s personal story into the broader narrative of China’s reform and opening-up. Through his journey, readers gain insight into the intellectual frameworks—from comparative advantage to new structural economics—that have shaped how the world understands development economies today.