On June 5, the 2025 Tianjin Wudadao Forum was held in Tianjin, hosted by Nankai University and organized by the School of Finance, the Institute of Chinese Path to Modernization, and the National Institute for Innovation and Finance of the University. Themed “Building a Financial Powerhouse and Financial Innovation Zone: Synergizing Finance and Technology for National Financial Strength”, the forum brought together approximately 500 representatives from government departments, national financial industry associations, financial institutions and high-end think tanks. Participants convened in Tianjin to explore the innovative path of deep integration of finance and technology, contributing to the development of high-level ‌Tianjin’s Financial Innovation Operation‌ Demonstration Zone.

Zhang Gong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and Mayor of Tianjin; Dai Xianglong, former Governor of the People’s Bank of China, former Mayor of Tianjin, and former Chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund; Xue Qikun, President of Southern University of Science and Technology; Tao Ling, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China; Zhou Liang, Vice Minister of the National Financial Regulatory Administration; Zhang Wencai, Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the World Bank; Cheng Hehong, Chief Lawyer of the China Securities Regulatory Commission; Li Bin, Deputy Administrator of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange; Huang Haizhou, Member of the Monetary Policy Department of the People’s Bank of China; Lian Maojun, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and Secretary of the CPC Binhai New Area Committee; Wang Xu, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee and Secretary of the CPC Hexi District Committee; Li Wenhai, Vice Mayor of Tianjin; Yang Qingshan, Secretary of the CPC Nankai University Committee; Chen Yulu, President of Nankai University and Vice President of the Council of the China Society for Finance and Banking; Hu Xueming, Secretary-General of the Tianjin Municipal Government and others, attended the opening ceremony of the forum. Chen Yulu presided over the opening ceremony.

In his speech, Yang Qingshan stated that Nankai University has always upheld the tradition of “knowing China and serving China”, having made unremitting exploration for serving the building of China and the city strength on finance. NKU's finance discipline has a long and distinguished history, which has laid a solid foundation in talent cultivation and academic research for the development of modern finance in China. In the past year, Nankai University made historic breakthroughs in undertaking major national projects and serving national governance, relying on key platforms such as the first Tianjin Wudadao Forum and the National Academy for Innovation and Finance of Nankai University. Looking ahead, Nankai University will continue to bear in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping’s expositions on financial work and the guidelines of the Central Financial Work Conference, striving to make further endeavors in the deep integration of finance and technology, and further contribute to more new milestones and fruitful outcomes in the building of China and the city strength on finance.

Li Bo, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said in a video speech that this forum focusing on the integration of finance and technology is in line with the current frontier issues of development in China and even the world. The IMF remains committed to its mission of promoting global economic and financial stability as well as economic growth. IMF supports countries in several core areas: properly defusing tensions and reducing policy uncertainty through constructive dialogue; assists countries in striking a balance between macroeconomic and financial policies; and works closely with countries to promote policy reforms and advance key work such as factor productivity and economic growth potential, and firmly supports member countries in addressing the current multiple challenges. IMF hopes that this forum would serve as a platform to jointly promote the steady development of the economy and foster financial innovation.

When presiding over the opening ceremony, Chen Yulu noted that this forum focused on the dual empowerment of finance and technology to advance the development of China’s strength on finance, exploring the supply-side direction of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics, and pursue the innovative path of deep integration of finance and technology for the building of a financial ecosystem that supports science and technology industries in a distinctly Chinese model. This, he stated, would contribiute to the high-standard development of the financial innovation and operation demonstration zone, as well as a financial innovation hub with both regional competitiveness and international influence.

Dai Xianglong, Xue Qikun, Tao Ling, Zhou Liang, Zhang Wencai, Cheng Hehong, Li Bin and Huang Haizhou delivered keynote speeches at the main forum. Chen Jun, Vice President of Nankai University, presided over the main forum.

The ‌Report on National Innovation and Financial Development was officially released during the forum. In order to promote the innovations and development of China’s policies, theories and practices related to sci-tech finance, Nankai University research group for “The Fundamental Theories and empirical Evidence Studies of Sci-tech Finance”, a major project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, in collaboration with the China International Capital Corporation (CICC) Global Institute, jointly authored a preview edition of the publication titled  Analysis of the Scale of a Large Country and the Sci-tech Finance Mechanism, and formed the China Sci-tech Finance Ecosystem Report 2025. Peng Wensheng, President of the CICC Global Institute and Co-dean of the National Academy for Innovation and Finance of Nankai University, delivered a comprehensive interpretation of the reports.

The preview edition of Analysis of the Scale of a Large Country and the Sci-tech Finance Mechanism constructs an ecological evaluation and analysis system of sci-tech finance with Chinese characteristics based on the principles of economics and finance as well as China’s economic and financial practice, in compliance with the basic laws of scientific and technological innovation and financial development. The report primarily discusses how sci-tech finance can help China leverage its scale advantage in scientific and technological innovation, the inherent logic and implementation pathways of finance-driven scientific and technological innovation, the role of capital market in leading scientific and technological innovation, and the function of banking system in supporting catch-up innovation, etc. It provides practical guidance for building a scientific and effective sci-tech finance system.

The China Sci-tech Finance Ecosystem Report 2025 is structured into 4 parts comprising 8 chapters, offering in-depth analysis and discussion on the following themes: the development status of sci-tech finance in China, the theoretical basis for constructing an ecological evaluation system of sci-tech finance, the measurement and analysis of ecological evaluation system for China’s sci-tech finance, the role of economies of scale in China’s science and technology innovation as well as the basic functions of finance, the inherent logic and mode of realization for finance promoting science and technology innovation, the unique advantages of the capital market in promoting leading science and technology innovation, the international experience of the banking system in promoting science and technology innovation as well as the selection of financial instruments, policy reflections and suggestions.

Four parallel forums were held in the afternoon of the same day. Experts and scholars shared their insights on key topics such as “Construction of Ecosystem for China’s Sci-tech Finance: Reform Practice and Theoretical Innovation” “AI Empowering the High-quality Development of Finance and Technology” “Driving the High-quality Development of Sci-tech Finance with Fund Industry Agglomeration”, and “Integrating the Digital and the Real Economy: Empowering Industry through Finance for High-Quality Development”. Liang Qi, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Nankai University Committee, and Sheng Bin, Fang Yongchun and Bai Chengming, Vice Presidents of Nankai University, participated in each parallel forum respectively.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)