Accomplishments

SAIF ThinkTank, as the research platform of SAIF, focused on overarching, forward-looking, and strategic matters integral to Shanghai becoming an international financial center, SAIF ThinkTank conducts pivotal research projects across core areas like sci-tech innovation finance, sustainable finance, and digital finance. High-caliber research reports and policy recommendations are now produced on a consistent basis.

[SAIF ThinkTank Brief Report] Issue 57 - Deficiencies and Countermeasures of China

Summary: Investment in scientific and technological innovation is an important force driving China's economic transformation and upgrading. Although significant progress has been made in this area, there are still various issues such as insufficient total investment, limited funding sources, short investment cycles, inadequate early-stage and small-scale investments, poor exit channels, and low utilization efficiency. This article delves into these issues and attempts to propose targeted recommendations.

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[SAIF ThinkTank Brief Report] Issue 40 - Development Status, Challenges, and Prospects of ESG Funds in China

Summary: In recent years, with the widespread dissemination of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) concepts and a deepening understanding of ESG investment among global market participants, the global ESG fund market has continued to expand. Driven by China's strategic goals of “dual carbon” and high-quality development, an increasing number of domestic investors are incorporating ESG factors into their investment decisions, leading to rapid development of ESG funds in China's domestic public fund market.

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Government-Assigned Research Tasks

Since 2021, SAIF ThinkTank has undertaken 60 major projects and produced 51 decision consultation reports. These are commissioned by the CPC Municipal Committee, Municipal Government, Municipal Financial Bureau, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Education Commission, and Financial and Economic Committee of the Municipal People's Congress of Shanghai.
By targeting key areas in China's financial development and Shanghai's growth as an international financial center, SAIF ThinkTank plays a vital role in policy research and decision-making support.
For example, findings from a special study revising the Shanghai Regulations on Advancing International Financial Center Construction have directly informed new local laws and regulations, providing critical legislative research support.

Key Specialized Research Segments

While undertaking government-assigned research tasks, SAIF ThinkTank also fully utilizes its existing academic foundation and advantages in financial disciplines. It organizes interdisciplinary and cross-institutional joint research centered on overarching, forward-looking, and strategic issues integral to Shanghai's growth as an international financial center, and critical areas including sci-tech innovation finance, sustainable finance, and digital finance.
In order to swiftly establish its influence, SAIF ThinkTank independently and collaboratively conducts two categories of pivotal research projects: annual series of reports that highlight the think tank's areas of expertise and are published on an ongoing basis, as well as substantive thematic research reports that closely monitor and analyze emerging trends across global economic and financial spheres.

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Solving the Puzzle of the Personal Loans Industry via Law and Fintech

Given the high level of personal loan defaults in recent years, stakeholders are finding it increasingly difficult to eliminate risk. At the same time, as laws and financial technologies are rapidly evolving and expanding to cover a greater range of application scenarios, personal loan disputes are now largely dealt with via legal proceedings. Therefore, it has partly optimized traditional ways of handling personal loan cases, guaranteed stakeholders’ legal rights and interests, and advanced the development of a high-integrity law-based society. Based on the research and analysis of related laws and fintech applications from China and beyond, this book offers nine specific suggestions to resolve individual credit risk through the application of law and fintech, four suggestions on how to develop well-regulated third-party law and fintech platforms, and an outlook for future growth of the industry, aiming to provide useful references to address commonly seen issues in personal loans.

Shanghai International Financial Center Construction Series Report 2022

With the aim of building itself into an international financial center with global influence by 2035, Shanghai is making great efforts to tackle new challenges and further enhance its financial capacities. Against this backdrop, the report presents the results of in-depth research from multiple perspectives, including green finance (published separately), sci-tech innovation finance, fintech, asset management, the cross-border use of RMB, financial opening-up in the Pudong Pioneering Zone, and integrated financial development in the Yangtze River Delta region. The report also consists of suggestions and prospects on improving financial functions and urban capacities, contributing to Shanghai’s further development as an international financial center. It is an insightful reference for economic and financial researchers, government officials and corporate managers.

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