At the China Development Forum 2026 Annual Meeting held from March 22 to March 23, Zhang Wenwu, General Manager of China CITIC Group, delivered a speech outlining the group’s strategy to enhance cross-border financial services in line with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
Zhang emphasized that the plan explicitly calls for expanding market access and opening up in the service sector as part of efforts to advance high-level opening-up. As a key component of modern services, financial sector opening is not only essential for its own high-quality development but also plays a critical role in supporting Chinese companies going global and attracting international capital.
He stated that, at the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, CITIC Group will seize new opportunities in international finance, address evolving cross-border financial needs, and contribute to building China into a financial powerhouse while promoting high-quality economic growth.
Specifically, Zhang highlighted five key areas of focus:
First, enhancing cross-border settlement capabilities by aligning with international standards, deepening cross-border payment system connectivity, and facilitating efficient capital flows. The group will promote innovative use of digital RMB in cross-border e-commerce, bulk commodities, and international logistics, while optimizing offshore account systems such as NRA, FT, and EF to improve global treasury management for partners.
Second, strengthening cross-border financing services. Zhang noted that CITIC will align with moderately accommodative monetary policies to help lower financing costs for enterprises. By collaborating with policy financial institutions, the group aims to enhance tailored services in supply chain finance, international projects, and overseas investment, while increasing support for innovation and green sectors. Leveraging the scale and liquidity of China’s stock and bond markets, CITIC will provide end-to-end services for A+H share listings, repatriation of U.S.-listed Chinese firms, and cross-border M&A. It will also innovate with asset securitization tools such as REITs and ABS, expand the Panda Bond and Dim Sum Bond markets, and accelerate the development of global derivatives trading platforms.
Third, improving cross-border asset management capabilities. CITIC will deepen connectivity mechanisms, build a diverse portfolio of cross-border investment products, and enhance schemes like the Cross-Boundary Wealth Management Connect. It will steadily develop futures and derivatives services, improve hedging tools for exchange rate and interest rate risks, and reduce liquidity and volatility concerns for offshore investors holding RMB assets. By engaging long-term international capital and expanding offshore RMB asset management offerings, the group aims to foster a stable, efficient, and responsible global asset allocation ecosystem, making RMB assets more attractive and competitive.
Fourth, upgrading infrastructure support. Efforts will include strengthening cross-border connectivity infrastructure, breaking down barriers in domestic and international trade and data flows, and building integrated platforms for cross-border fund management. The application of big data and AI will be deepened to enhance processes such as cross-border credit, compliance checks, and customer service.
Fifth, strengthening cross-border risk management. Zhang stated that CITIC will establish a comprehensive risk control mechanism, enhance monitoring of cross-border capital flows, and improve early warning and response capabilities for exchange rate and market risks. Aligning with international standards, the group will accelerate compliance capacity in anti-money laundering and sanctions risk management, participate in global financial governance, and improve cross-border risk coordination mechanisms to ensure a secure and predictable operating environment.
Comments