2011 will force China Inc. to come of age, according to my little crystal ball. For the first time after China’s economic reforms began, CEO succession is threatening to become a major problem, particularly for globally competitive companies such as Haier, Huawei, and Lenovo. Their founders — China’s first generation of entrepreneurs — are nearing retirement, so these companies’ futures hinges on how effectively the incumbents manage leadership transitions. Indeed, the choices the founder-CEOs make may well reshape their companies as well as the Chinese economy.