At the 2026 Tsinghua PBC School of Finance Chief Economists Forum, which convened on September 19th under the theme "2026 China and the World Economy Review and Outlook: Global Rebalancing and International Monetary System Restructuring," Li Jinliang, Party Secretary and Chair Professor of Finance at the Tsinghua PBC School of Finance, delivered a keynote address.
Li noted that the global economic landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, with worldwide supply chains accelerating their restructuring. Geopolitical conflicts are increasingly intertwined with a new wave of technological revolution, driving deep transformations across the international financial system. The deep integration of artificial intelligence into finance is fundamentally reshaping the operational logic of the sector, with data, computing power, and algorithms emerging as the new foundational elements of financial operations.
As Financial Institutions transition from merely retaining digitalized records to embracing intelligent decision-making, the boundaries between finance and technology are becoming progressively more indistinct. Concurrently, a trend toward a multi-polar reserve currency system is emerging, and digital technologies are transforming the underlying mechanics of cross-border payments and currency operations. Financial security, resilience, and self-sufficiency have become more critical than ever before.
He highlighted that the PBC School of Finance has remained aligned with the nation's financial reform and opening-up journey—from serving as the bridgehead of China's financial reform 45 years ago to now acting as a cradle for financial talent that integrates Tsinghua's academic excellence with industry practice. Li expressed his hope to deepen collaboration with domestic and international peers, conducting rigorous research and open dialogue on how finance can better support technological innovation and serve the real economy while addressing global economic shifts. The ultimate goal, he stated, is to cultivate financial professionals who understand both Chinese practice and possess a global perspective, thereby contributing valuable outcomes to China's financial reform and international financial exchange.