On September 11, the CICC 2025 GBA Wealth Management Forum was successfully held in Hong Kong. The event brought together over 400 representatives to engage in in-depth discussions on a wide range of topics, including the achievements of the Greater Bay Area, the development of the wealth management industry, and the capital markets ecosystem. Discussions centered on key themes such as the global economic landscape, international investment opportunities, new consumption trends, the Silver Economy, and paradigms for retirement planning. This gathering explored new prospects for wealth management in the GBA, injecting fresh momentum into regional economic growth and financial cooperation.

The forum kicked off with welcome remarks by Chen Liang, Chairman of CICC. In his address, Mr. Chen extended a warm welcome to all distinguished guests and stressed the strategic significance of the GBA in China’s national development strategy. He highlighted that the forum plays a pivotal role in boosting regional financial cooperation and advancing the high-quality development of the wealth management industry. This year marks CICC’s 30th anniversary, and Mr. Chen noted that over the past three decades, CICC has been deeply involved in and a close witness to the evolution of China’s capital markets. Looking ahead, he emphasized that CICC will continue to explore and take the lead in transforming the wealth management industry, strengthen the role of finance in driving the growth of new-quality productive forces, and make greater contributions to increasing household assets, fostering high-quality regional economic development, and advancing high-level financial opening-up. 

The Honourable Paul CHAN Mo-po, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, officiated at the forum as the Guest of Honor and delivered an address. He noted that with the century-defining transformation accelerating across the globe, as an international financial centre, Hong Kong is navigating challenges while embracing new opportunities. With international investors speeding up the diversification of their asset allocation, Hong Kong’s capital markets—linking China and the rest of the world—continue to demonstrate resilience. The GBA area, in particular, has become a key force driving the development of the wealth management business. With the support of the Central Authorities, the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect will be expanded at a suitable time and in an appropriate manner, with a view to covering a wider geographic scope, broader product offerings and more eligible participants. At the same time, Hong Kong will continue to encourage product innovation, including further enriching exchange-traded product offerings and broadening retail investors’ access to private equity funds. These initiatives will help attract more capital inflows from both domestic and international investors. He also hoped that CICC will continue to act as a frontrunner in capital market investment and financing, helping Hong Kong enhance the vitality and competitiveness of its financial market, and making new and greater contributions to the country’s endeavour to become a financial powerhouse.

Dr. Peng Wensheng, Chief Economist, Head of Research Department, and Dean of CICC Global Institute, delivered a keynote speech titled From Economies of Scale to an Innovation Economy. He pointed out that China has already established global leadership in fields such as green industries and artificial intelligence. By adopting measures such as fiscal expansion and improving the social security system to boost domestic demand, China can deeply participate in and lead the new wave of innovation economy development.

Following this, Kevin LIU, Chief Offshore China and Overseas Strategist of CICC Research, led an in-depth dialogue with the distinguished guest on “Reframing US-China Relations and the New Global Economic Order.” The discussion offered deep insights from both Chinese and U.S. perspectives into the challenges and opportunities arising from the profound reshaping of the global economic landscape.  

During the forum, nearly 30 distinguished speakers from financial institutions, leading enterprises, and academia participated in multiple high-level discussions. Deliberations centered on five priority topics: building diversified and resilient investment portfolios, the transformation of China’s consumer industry, wealth management in the longevity era, innovation in financial infrastructure, and the Chinese asset managers going global. Drawing on both emerging trends and practical experience, the speakers shared forward-looking and pragmatic insights and generated enthusiastic responses on site.

This 2025 forum also integrated elements of digital innovation and green development. CICC Research unveiled at the forum “CICC Research Insights”, an integrated online gateway to all of its research services. The debut of this platform in front of overseas clients demonstrated its superior functionality powered by digital innovation, which provides institutional investors across the world with brand new, smarter and more convenient cross-border research service experience. In addition, the forum embedded the concept of sustainability throughout the event, incorporating low-carbon practices into its operations and underscoring the commitment to advancing green development with concrete action.

The forum successfully brought together diverse perspectives to explore how the wealth management industry in the GBA can, at this new historical juncture, “Seize Significant Opportunities and Achieve Substantial Progress.” It provided valuable insights into building a more dynamic wealth management ecosystem. Looking ahead, CICC will continue to draw upon the GBA’s strengths in innovation and openness, striving to advance the Five Major Financial Articles and leveraging its comprehensive financial services to help citizens share in the long-term opportunities of national and global development. Together with partners worldwide, CICC is committed to sharing opportunities, exploring cooperation and promoting development, jointly writing a new chapter in high-level financial opening-up and high-quality development.