High-powered think tank seen as brains behind Chinese leaders

Opinions from the public have always been crucial in the decision-making of China's central government.

Scholars, experts and local officials participate in decision-making by communicating with senior leaders in conferences and symposiums, becoming special brainpowers of the government.

Here we take a look at eight most frequently invited elite brains by China's central government who have had at least two opportunities of close interactions at Zhongnanhai, the headquarter of China's central government, with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang since the 18th CPC National Congress.

1. Justin Yifu Lin, former chief economist and senior vice-president of the World Bank, vice-president of the National Development Planning Commission of experts of the 13th Five Year Plan, professor in economics in Peking University, founder and director of the China Center for Economic Research. 

Economist Justin Lin Yifu, former chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank, delivers a speech during the 2015 China Macroeconomics Forum in Wuhan city, central China's Hubei province, on Sept 13, 2015. [Photo/IC]

Lin has been invited to symposiums with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang more than five times since the 18th CPC National Congress and has delivered keynote speeches there. Different from some economists' opinions, Lin insists that China should continue to stimulate economic growth through investment.

"No matter it's technical renovation, industrial upgrade or infrastructure improvement, investment is necessary. We haven't reached the point where we can forgo investment as an economic stimulus. This practice should continue," Lin has said.