SWIFT to host conference on China’s emergence in international finance

It will be held in Shanghai.

According to a release, SWIFT, in partnership with the SWIFT Institute, the 21st Century China Program at UC San Diego’s School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) and Fudan University's Financial Research Center, has brought a host of business leaders, academics, industry experts and policy makers to discuss China’s emergence in international finance at a unique event in Shanghai on July 10-11, 2013.

Liu Mingkang, Distinguished Fellow of Fung Global Institute, and Deputy Director of the Committee for Economic Affairs of The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is among the high-profile keynote speakers at the two-day conference. He was Chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission from 2003 to 2011.

Alain Raes, Chief Executive, Asia Pacific & EMEA, SWIFT, says: “We are proud to host this conference, which resembles SWIFT’s annual flagship event Sibos, but with specific focus on China’s financial and banking sector development. It is a one-of-its-kind opportunity not to be missed in terms of having some of the world’s thought leaders focussed on our industry, together.

“China is a key part of our Asia Pacific strategy as we support the region with world-class financial infrastructure that ensures interconnectedness among Asia’s domestic markets. This conference is a testament to our commitment to supporting the domestic market needs in China and providing unique market insights such as the Renminbi internationalisation to the global financial industry,” adds Mr Raes.

Lin Shangli, Vice President of Fudan University, says: "Few countries in mankind's history have registered steady development and transformation on a scale and pace comparable to China. The secret to China's success lies in its leadership and the effectiveness of its strategy and policies. At this conference, we want to gather Chinese and overseas professionals to learn from each other and exchange experiences."

Susan Shirk, Chair of the 21st Century China Program and Ho Miu Lam Professor of China and Pacific Relations at IR/PS, comments: “The global economy has become hooked on supercharged Chinese growth, and we are in an era where the world has its eyes on China. The 21st Century China Program is pleased to be a partner with SWIFT, SWIFT Institute and Fudan University’s Financial Research Centre in organizing this conference. We look forward to bringing together scholars, policy makers and financial experts to discuss the significance of China’s emergence in international finance.”

Peter Ware, Director of SWIFT Institute, says: “The event is unprecedented for its renowned speaker line up and rich agenda. It offers an ideal platform for financial practitioners, corporates, academic and policy makers to come together as one community and engage in an in-depth discussion of critical issues as China takes centre stage in the global economy.”

Andrew Sheng, President of Fung Global Institute, a knowledge partner of the event, says the conference will provide valuable insights into the reforms China is undertaking in its banking and financial sectors, and the internationalisation of its currency. “It is important for the global community to understand the challenges China faces as well as the opportunities the reforms can offer the world. We believe this event will allow stakeholders to engage and exchange diverse views with key industry experts.”

The conference is structured into three broad themes: competition - both the competition that China presents globally and the competition and challenges to growth that it faces; compliance - the distinctive characteristics of banking reform and corporate governance that exist in China today; and collaboration - the ways in which China is increasingly interconnected with the global financial system.

SWIFT has been in Asia Pacific for over 30 years, starting in Hong Kong and Singapore. Three regional offices have been opened in Asia since 2005, bringing the total to eight commercial and support offices including our customer support centres in Hong Kong and Tokyo, as well as an Operational Central Control Centre and the Kuala Lumpur global hub, opened in March 2013.