The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), and the SAIF Hong Kong Foundation recently held the inaugural Chinese Development Forum in Hong Kong, co-organized by the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation. Under the theme “Advancing Together with the Times,” the forum brought together economists, historians, sociologists, and representatives of Chinese businesses worldwide for high-level, interdisciplinary dialogue. Focusing on two core drivers—technological innovation and the power of youth—participants explored the essence of Chinese business philosophy, the mission of Chinese entrepreneurs in the new era, and practical paths toward a community with a shared future for humanity.
As the flagship launch event of the Global Outstanding Chinese Program, the forum also gave SAIF an opportunity to showcase its international education, think tank capabilities, and openness to the world.
In September 2025, XinhuaNet and SAIF jointly launched three overseas service platforms—covering new quality productive forces, enterprise globalization, and international communication—to support Chinese enterprises expanding abroad, with services spanning AI, digital asset management, AI-driven marketing, and cross-border data flows. Building on this foundation, the Global Outstanding Chinese Program was established to meet the practical needs of Chinese enterprises. It offers outstanding Chinese professionals across industries a platform to connect with, integrate into, and serve the global market, helping them sharpen their expertise, broaden their perspectives, and expand their international networks.
Representatives of the program who took part in the forum's exchanges included Pansy Ho, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice Chair of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Executive Chairman and Group Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings; Franky Oesman Widjaja, Executive Director of Sinar Mas and Chairman of its Agribusiness & Food, Communications & Technology, and Energy & Infrastructure Groups; Youbin Leng, Deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), Vice Chair of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and Chairman of China Feihe; and Qi Ji, Founder and Chairman of H World Group.
Opening Addresses
John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said in a video address that the forum's focus on global restructuring and technological change was well timed. He noted that China has become a major engine and stabilizer of global growth, and that Hong Kong must align itself with the national strategy set out in the 15th Five-Year Plan by strengthening its connectivity with the mainland in infrastructure, institutions, and people-to-people ties, deepening its participation in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and expanding its global network of professional services.
Shijun Cheng, Executive Dean and Chair Professor of Accounting at SAIF, delivered the opening remarks. “The world is changing, and the rules are changing,” he said. “Amid this vast uncertainty, we see an irreplaceable force of certainty emerging from China and Chinese communities worldwide.” Finance and business, he noted, now reach far beyond their traditional boundaries and are reshaping social values. SAIF, he said, aims to navigate the digital wave with a humanistic spirit, empower young people to shape the future, and connect the world through an open, inclusive network built on mutual benefit.
In video remarks, Ruining Zhang, President of XinhuaNet, introduced the three overseas service platforms built jointly with SAIF. Operated by Xinhua News Agency, which has 184 overseas bureaus and reaches users in more than 200 countries and regions, XinhuaNet is a major window through which international audiences come to understand China. Zhang also presented Xinhua GEO (generative engine optimization), an AI agent platform that helps Chinese brands reach customers abroad.
Voices from the Program and Beyond
Pansy Ho, class representative of the program's first cohort, spoke on how Hong Kong and Macao can support Chinese businesses. Describing the global Chinese business community as a “super-collaboration network” built on long-term trust and shared culture, she proposed combining Macao’s cultural tourism platform with Hong Kong's financial network—backed by the mainland market—to create a powerful “dual-engine synergy” for sustainable development.
Other program representatives also shared their perspectives. Franky Oesman Widjaja stressed that integrity remains the cornerstone of business in the AI era and called for partnerships that benefit all sides. Youbin Leng argued that true globalization means moving from taking products abroad to taking entire industries abroad, which requires respecting and integrating into local markets. Qi Ji advised entrepreneurs to build a strong position in China’s vast domestic market first, drawing on shared cultural roots, before expanding globally.
The forum also featured prominent international figures. Robert Zoellick, Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, Former U.S. Trade Representative, Deputy Secretary of State, and President of the World Bank; Raghuram Rajan, Katherine Miler Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee for the Federal Reserveon Balance Sheet Policies, Former Chief Economist of the IMF and Governor of the Reserve Bank of India; and Wei Da, Professor at Tsinghua University, spoke on emerging global trends and the opportunities they present for Chinese communities worldwide. Kevin Kelly, Founding Executive Editor of Wired; Lei Mi, Founding Partner of CASSTAR; and Chunling Li, Researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, discussed technological leaps and the values of young people, while Denggao Long, Professor at Tsinghua University, and other guests explored the global influence of Chinese business philosophy.
With the inaugural forum, SAIF reaffirmed its commitment to developing business leaders with a global perspective. As a world-class finance school rooted in China, SAIF is engaging closely with the restructuring of the global economy and has taken on the task of helping Chinese entrepreneurs grow from domestic champions into global players. As the centerpiece of SAIF's globalization strategy, the Global Outstanding Chinese Program will continue to help them achieve strategic breakthroughs in value creation.
