At the 2026 Lujiazui Forum's Sci-Tech Finance Conference, Lu Jing, President and Vice Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Limited, stated that the global industrial chain is undergoing a profound restructuring. This shift is moving from a priority on efficiency to one on security, and from global division of labor and centralized production towards shorter, more regionalized, and more resilient chains. Technological development has become a new variable, with Chinese enterprises occupying irreplaceable positions in key fields such as artificial intelligence, humanoid robotics, new energy, and advanced manufacturing. China is transitioning from being the "world's factory" towards becoming a "manufacturing powerhouse of intelligence" and an "engine of innovation."
Lu Jing remarked that technology enterprises require a financial ecosystem, not merely financing, as the financial support needed varies at each stage of development. The dual-center strategy of "International Financial Center + International Sci-Tech Innovation Center" for Shanghai, as outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan, is timely. This strategy aims to enhance support for technological innovation by building a comprehensive, diversified, and relay-style sci-tech financial service system across five areas: capital markets, equity investment, bank credit, technology insurance, and the policy environment.
Lu Jing believes that tech companies need a "financial soulmate" capable of understanding their industry vision and providing full lifecycle services. Standard Chartered Bank positions itself as a "super connector," with dedicated teams in major global markets to serve Chinese enterprises. These teams assist companies in navigating local laws and regulations, mitigating compliance risks, and deeply connecting with industrial resources, managing foreign exchange and interest rate exposures, and addressing investment and financing needs. The bank has established specialized teams for "New Economy" and "International & Innovative Enterprise Banking," launching a "Run-Alongside Program" to partner with PE/VC firms in providing end-to-end services for enterprises. Having served a large number of technology innovation companies globally, Standard Chartered has accumulated extensive experience and mature solutions that can effectively empower Chinese tech innovators.
In conclusion, Lu Jing shared two key observations. On one hand, Chinese technology assets are attractive to international investors in terms of return resilience, risk diversification, and valuation. On the other hand, driven by both policy support and the accelerated pace of Chinese companies going global, the role of the Renminbi in application scenarios such as settlement, investment and financing, and reserve assets will continue to deepen. This momentum is expected to propel the currency into an accelerated development phase of "RMB Internationalization 2.0." Standard Chartered Bank remains committed to its deep roots in China, acting as a super connector between China and the world, and supporting Chinese enterprises as they set sail for global markets.
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