The Hong Kong International Finance Review (HKIFR) is a financial think-tank journal published by the Hong Kong Institution for International Finance (HKIIF), dedicated to presenting the latest research findings and viewpoints from HKIIF members, internationally renowned economists, financial officials, and investment authorities.

Recently, HKIFR released a special issue featuring key papers and presentations from the symposium on “New Productive Forces and the Frontier of Applied Finance,” jointly organised by the Faculty of Business and the Financial Innovation Laboratory of Hong Kong Chu Hai College in November 2024. Readers are encouraged to explore and provide feedback.

In November 2024, the Faculty of Business and the Financial Innovation Laboratory of Hong Kong Chu Hai College held a high-profile symposium on “New Productive Forces and the Frontier of Applied Finance” on campus. Scholars and industry experts from Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and Mainland China convened to exchange cutting-edge insights on various fields closely linked to “New Productive Forces,” including FinTech, Artificial Intelligence, Green Finance, Art Finance, and Financial Media & Publishing.

The symposium was hosted by Associate Professor Kong Xiaowei Vivian, Head of the Department of Finance. In his opening remarks, Associate Academic Vice President Professor Li Kwok Yiu Robert emphasised that New Productive Forces, driven by innovation, transcend traditional economic growth models and are characterised by high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, aligning with new development imperatives. Given its role as the “blood-supply hub” of the social economy, the financial sector stands poised to play a leading role in advancing these innovative forces.

Keynote speeches were delivered by Professor Zhang Junxi Jack, Dean of the Faculty of Business; Professor Zhang Yuli, Dean of Nankai University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute; Professor Xiao Geng, Associate Dean of the School of Public Policy at The Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Professor Cai Jun, Professor of the Department of Finance at City University of Hong Kong. In addition, numerous scholars and experienced industry professionals conducted roundtable discussions on topics such as “AI and New Financial Development in the Greater Bay Area,” “The Future of Art Finance in Hong Kong,” and “Financial Media and New Publishing.”

During the symposium, the Faculty of Business and the Financial Innovation Laboratory jointly launched the “New Momentum, New Finance” book series, unveiling its inaugural volume, Data Analysis and Financial Modelling. Dean Zhang Junxi Jack and Mr. Lai Yiu Keung, Deputy Chief Editor of Chung Hwa Book Company, presented the new title, with Assistant Professor Liu Xiaoquan Ace introducing its contents and practical significance for applied finance.