China currently is one of the fastest growing countries globally. But when it comes to performance of CEOs, the dragon nation still has a long way to go. As per rankings by the Harvard Business Review (HBR), only three chief executives from mainland China have made the top 100. This is in the latest ranking of corporate leaders' long-term performance. The ranking is based on growth in shareholder returns and market capitalisation achieved during the tenure of chief executives appointed since 1995. In contrast, 6 of the top 10 spots were held by CEOs of US companies. This is despite the fact that the US is plagued with massive debt and recession. The key here has been innovation. This is one area where the US has dominated till now leading to the establishment of some world class companies. China so far has been renowned for its manufacturing prowess and low-cost advantage. But once its companies become more innovation-focused there is no reason why they will not move up the ladder.