From July 7 to 8, SUSTech’s Department of Finance held the 2018 International Summit on Smart Finance. Centered around the theme of “New Retail, New Payment Style, and New Finance,” the summit sparked discussions on blockchain technology and financial innovation at home and abroad among enterprise representatives and finance experts.

Academics in attendance included President of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) Zhuo Zhi, Acting Dean of SWUFE Business Administration School Zhao Jianliang and City University of Hong Kong Chair Professor J. Leon Zhao. The technology sector was represented by luminaries like Hundsun Technologies CEO Guan Xiaolan, Block Labs Partner Que Xiaogeng, Tencent blockchain expert Wang Zongyou, Yimian Data CEO Ren Dongmi, and CIO of Shenzhen Qianhai Huirun Fund Management Co., Ltd Shen Yan. At the same time, the finance industry had notable members of their community present such as General Manager Long Jian from Ping’an Bank’s Special Asset Management Division and General Manager Wang Guangming from China Merchants Bank’s Science and Technology Information Department,

Head of Department of Finance He Jia delivered the opening speech. He explained the concept of technological finance, mainly the integration of both the technological and financial industries. He Jia also said: “Since economic development relies on technology’s promotion and technological development needs the help of finance, SUSTech opened the major Financial Science and Technology recently.”

Ten academic presentations, eight academic paper seminars, two roundtable forums and one financial technology seminar took place during the summit. Invited guests shared their latest findings of cutting-edge financial technologies, engaged in heated discussions on current hot topics, and spared no efforts in exploring ways to achieve financial innovation.

Financial technology companies are on the rise these days, and modern data transaction platforms such as Ali Cloud and Tencent Cloud are taking over the market. The future is the era of big data and AI, and the finance industry and SUSTech will go with the trend as well.