There are lot of myths about China, says Jahangir Aziz

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New Delhi, May 15: The government has armed itself with a new mandarin to sharpen its policy edges vis-à-vis China .

Jahangir Aziz, who is considered an authority on the Chinese economy, has joined as principal economic advisor in the ministry of finance.

Prior to joining the finance ministry, Aziz was the division chief for China , Hong Kong and Taiwan at the International Monetary Fund. He brings to the government his vast experience, spanning over a decade of research on the Chinese economy.

As principal economic advisor, Aziz will aid the policy-making process and help the government in carrying out research on various areas. A doctorate from the University of Minnesota , Aziz has written extensively on issues relating to real and financial economy of China .

“This is the first real appointment (of an outside expert) by the finance ministry. Aziz is one of the most established experts on China .

He combines his insights on China with his deep knowledge of the Indian economy,” says Rajiv Kumar, director and chief executive of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

People close to Aziz are generally enthralled by his sense of humour and his ability to put complex things in a non-jargonised manner.

“He is not stiff and serious in his approach and generally puts things in a humourous way,” says IMF’s India representative Joshua Felman.

Aziz completed his PhD thesis in 2003, on Cyclical Behaviour of Productivity and Employment in the US, under the noted American economist Edward J Green.

Aziz’s recent writings on China has emphasised some of the flaws in the Chinese economic strategy. According to Felman, Aziz has got excellent policy instincts and is very articulate.

Some critics point out that Aziz may not be well versed with the nuances of the Indian policy making process since he has spent most of his time outside India.

But Icrier’s Kumar says that despite working abroad for nearly two decades, Aziz maintains deep interest in the Indian economy.

Aziz, who is a graduate from Kolkata’s St Xavier’s College and an economics major from Jawaharlal Nehru University, says he is all set for his new assignment. “It is a new experience for me and I am looking forward to it,” he told FE .

On the China question, he says, “there are a lot of myths about China.”