by YANG Zhijin

The first Cross-border Financial Innovation Conference opened on May 27 during the 20th Shenzhen International Financial Expo at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District.

Hosted by Jiemian News, part of Shanghai United Media Group, the forum focused on how cross-border finance can support Chinese companies expanding overseas, as outbound investment moves beyond exports toward deeper industrial and supply-chain integration.

ZHANG Yange, editor-in-chief of Jiemian News-Cailian Press, and WANG Xiaorong, vice chairwoman of Shenzhen's Futian district CPPCC, addressed the opening session of the forum.

Speakers at the forum said Chinese companies are increasingly prioritizing localized operations, cross-border financing, foreign exchange hedging and supply-chain support as they expand abroad.

ZHANG Qun, general manager of Ping An Bank's Cross-border Finance Department, said the bank has built an integrated offshore and onshore account system covering international accounts, offshore OSA accounts, FT accounts in free trade zones, NRA accounts and overseas branches. He said the system supports cross-border investment, trade finance, payments and treasury management for Chinese companies operating overseas.

CHEN Lijian, general manager of Industrial Bank's international business and transaction banking department, said the lender had built a full-cycle overseas financial services system covering cross-border settlement, foreign exchange and offshore fundraising. He added that the bank also helps companies manage currency and funding risks through coordinated mainland China and Hong Kong trading platforms.

LI Qile, HSBC China's Greater Bay Area general manager, said Chinese companies were entering a new phase of globalization focused on supply-chain deployment, technology cooperation and ecosystem building, after earlier waves centered on exports and overseas acquisitions. He said HSBC coordinates overseas services through global account managers while working with local governments, chambers of commerce and advisory firms in overseas markets to support localization.

YANG Ruiqi, vice president and head of global financial institutions at UOB China, introduced two initiatives aimed at Southeast Asia. One enables direct exchange between the yuan and Southeast Asian currencies to reduce settlement time and foreign exchange risks, while the other links Chinese and Southeast Asian gold markets through a project called the "Golden Road."

TANG Hongshun, senior vice president of Xingyun Group, said Chinese companies expanding overseas still faced bottlenecks in distribution channels, talent, financing, infrastructure and compliance. He said companies needed to strengthen AI-driven operations, improve direct access to sales channels and build localized service capabilities.

ZOU Shuji, executive president of the Greater Bay Area Import and Export Commercial Association, said globalization was becoming increasingly regionalized, while the global monetary system was moving toward greater diversification beyond the US dollar. He also said AI-driven industries were replacing older growth engines and called for stronger support for Chinese technology companies through Hong Kong's capital markets.

During a panel discussion on financial demand arising from the shift from "product exports" to "industrial globalization," executives from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Zheshang Bank, Bank of East Asia China and technology industry groups discussed how financial institutions can support Chinese companies' localization efforts abroad.

Panelists said large state-owned banks were relying on their global networks to offer country-specific solutions and compliance support, while joint-stock lenders were focusing on specialized industry services. Foreign banks, meanwhile, were using international advisory and M&A networks to provide broader non-financial support.

Positioning itself as a trusted partner for global growth, Jiemian-Cailian Press launched a full-chain service matrix for Chinese companies expanding overseas in February 2026. The newly introduced "Finance Going Global" section focuses on cross-border financing, payments, insurance and fintech expansion.