Forty years, half a lifetime, have passed.  All be cherished.  According to Chinese wisdom, one no longer feels purposelessness and yet remains energetic at the age of forty.  It is true for me, true for our great nation.

Today, as we look back on the past 40 years in China, from when the call to reform began at the command center located in the industrial container to the exploration of the “Shenzhen Shekou model” initiated by the Merchants Bureau, hundreds and thousands of entrepreneurs with humble origins have blazed a trail, striving to make the country strong.  Those were exciting and inspiring times.

China has overcome social, political, legal and financial challenges during those 40 years to achieve unprecedented economic development in human history.  The country has transitioned from an agricultural society to an industrial society, and is now in the post-industrial era.  It has leapt forward from a planned economy to global economic integration.  The sheer magnitude and pace of development has made a tremendous mark in the global economic history.

The global economy is developing and evolving every day into a two-way circulating system enabling the world to be more integrated.  On the one hand, China’s connection with developed countries promotes industrial specialization, trade and investment; on the other hand, China focuses on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and trade with developing economies.  As a hub and an engine in this system, China has not only helped create a new world order dominated by developed countries, but also contributed significantly to the stability and prosperity of those developing countries, leading the way for the development of world economy.

The past is in the past and the future is yet to come.  I feel privileged and proud to have witnessed the remarkable achievements of my country.  But as an academic, the question of how we can sustain momentum to create another forty years of success beckons.

The current challenges brought about by the comprehensive reform are no smaller than the challenges forty years ago when it all began in 1978.  What has grown, however, is the importance of the finance industry.  Its strategic role in economic development, the constant emergence of new products, Fintech and such, make finance education and research ever more relevant.  It is our solemn responsibility to train multi-disciplinary finance professionals and conduct cutting-edge research.

Against this backdrop, we established FISF with the vision and mission for it to become one of the top finance schools in the world.  Our goal is to produce the most influential academic research, be the best innovative leader for the industry and educate the highest-level talents to be socially responsible with a global mindset.

As we embark on this momentous journey, we are grateful for the trust and support bestowed on us by the stakeholders.  For the future of China’s finance industry, we are determined to give our best.  Our passion and commitment will never cease.

Excellence.  Responsibility.  Innovation.  Please join us and let us all work together to forge a brilliant path and bring about China’s finance renaissance.