Tian Wei, a presenter with China Central Television, is grateful to the World Economic Forum for giving her a title beginning with "y" - young global leader. "This is what I like because it begins with 'y'," said Tian, beginning a conversation with me at the annual conference in Davos.

The title has attracted more than 200 elite young people globally, who, according to forum chairman Klaus Schwab, are "the hopes of the world's tomorrow".

"They are very energetic and they could spend 48 hours without sleep to work on solutions to global concerns," said Tian, a slim, graceful and sharp-minded woman under the age of 40, the cutoff point for being recognized as a young global leader.