Despite all China's economic and political feats, the absence of a serious Chinese candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund is quite humbling. It means that China's integration into the world and its global power status have not yet been translated into an ability to master the rules of the game in global governance. To put it bluntly, China cannot claim to be a fully fledged player in global economic governance if it is unable to present a viable candidate for the IMF top job.

A strong contender to lead international organisations like the IMF requires certain strengths - he or she must be a solid technocrat, a savvy politician, a smart negotiator, an effective communicator and, last but not least, an experienced manager capable of running big, complex and multicultural organisations. The current IMF front runners, Christine Lagarde and Agustin Carstens, have both spent years serving as key cabinet members in their national governments as well as leading global firms and international organisations. Developing such global leadership requires both individual effort and the support of their government.

China needs to start thinking about ways to groom leaders with a global profile. Its civil service should invite capable Chinese citizens with international experience, in both public and private sectors, to serve in the government, including at senior positions. The long-held suspicion of outsiders is an anachronism. The political and bureaucratic barriers stopping outsiders entering the civil service should be broken down. Given the opportunities and responsibilities, overseas Chinese professionals would be eager to serve in the government and can contribute substantially.