Explained in plain English

What is an 'economic czar'?

Zhu Rongji was called China's 'economic czar' because he had huge influence over the country's economy. A 'czar' (or 'tsar') was originally a Russian emperor, but in modern politics, it's often used informally for someone with great power in a specific area, like an 'energy czar' or a 'drug czar'. Zhu's reforms were pivotal in China's move towards a market economy.