Global Finance in Focus: Beijing forum calls for innovation & stability

Leaders and experts from around the world gathered in Beijing on Monday for the Annual Conference of the Financial Street Forum 2025, spotlighting the need for a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable global financial system.

The four-day forum, running through Oct. 30, comes amid rapid innovation, shifting global financial landscapes, and mounting economic challenges. Organizers called for strengthened collaboration, accelerated transformation, and a more forward-looking approach to global financial governance.

Central Bank Pledges Supportive Monetary Policy

Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), emphasized that the central bank will maintain a moderately loose monetary policy and favorable financing conditions to support China’s economic recovery. He highlighted ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive macroprudential regulation system to monitor and mitigate systemic financial risks.

Regulators Focus on Real Economy and Innovation

Li Yunze, head of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), stressed that China’s financial sector must serve the real economy, foster innovation, and support green, intelligent, and integrated industries.

Meanwhile, Wu Qing, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), pledged to expand high-level institutional openness, strengthen investor protection, and boost the competitiveness of China’s capital markets.

The 2025 Financial Street Forum opened in Beijing on Oct. 27, focusing on global financial development amid innovation and transformation. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Global Voices Urge Prudence and Cooperation

International voices also weighed in via video addresses. Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, cautioned that soaring equity markets and compressed yield spreads carry risks, especially amid enthusiasm over AI-driven finance.

Pablo Hernandez de Cos of the Bank for International Settlements highlighted the need for sustainable fiscal policies, while Pierre Gramegna, European Stability Mechanism head, underscored the importance of global financial safety nets in an era of geo-economic uncertainty.

Forum Theme: Innovation, Transformation, Restructuring

Under the theme “Global Financial Development in an Era of Innovation, Transformation, and Restructuring,” the conference is hosted by Beijing’s municipal government alongside the PBOC, NFRA, CSRC, Xinhua, and SAFE. Discussions aim to explore new paths for high-quality financial development, promote international collaboration, and ensure financial stability in a rapidly changing world.