Key Points:
- Top financial experts and business leaders met in Chengdu for a 2-day global finance forum to discuss economic security.
- Speakers warned that new artificial intelligence tools create hidden and dangerous risks for global payment systems.
- Nobel laureate Michael Spence praised China for prioritizing artificial intelligence in its massive 15th Five-Year Plan.
- Former International Monetary Fund official Zhu Min called for a stronger Chinese renminbi to balance the global currency market.
Top scholars and business leaders traveled from all over the world to attend the 2026 Tsinghua PBCSF Global Finance Forum. The massive event took place on Monday and Tuesday in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwest China. During the 2-day summit, experts shared fresh ideas on how to improve global financial cooperation. They tackled big issues like artificial intelligence, green energy projects, and economic growth.
The organizers gave this year’s forum a clear theme. They called it Global Financial Governance in a Challenging World: New Challenges, New Opportunities, New Developments. Attendees participated in closed-door meetings, strategy sessions, and public presentations. They talked about the massive changes happening across the globe right now. Many leaders pointed out that shifting trade policies, rising military conflicts, and broken supply chains create deep uncertainty for everyday people.
Jiao Jie serves as the dean of the PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University. He told the audience that the global financial system is currently undergoing a massive adjustment period. In the past, banks and governments only cared about making systems faster and more efficient. Now, Jiao says, leaders must balance efficiency with strict security and resilience. They want to make sure the global money system can survive sudden shocks.
Marshall Mills works as the senior resident representative for the International Monetary Fund in China. He explained that countries must build a predictable and transparent trading system. Mills believes this transparent system offers the only real way to protect global trade, keep economies growing, and maintain stability. He urged countries to work together on practical regional projects instead of fighting over trade rules.
Artificial intelligence quickly became the most popular topic at the forum. Experts agreed that smart software holds the power to boost global productivity and help businesses grow faster. However, they also warned that the technology brings dangerous challenges to industrial development and financial safety. If banks rely too heavily on automated tools, they expose themselves to new kinds of digital risks.
Michael Spence, a famous Nobel laureate, praised China’s recent technology strategy. He pointed out that Chinese leaders made artificial intelligence a core part of their 15th Five-Year Plan. Spence told the crowd that artificial intelligence will only succeed if companies actually use it in real-world factories and offices. He noted that China already puts these smart tools to work across many different business sectors with highly organized efforts.
Gao Hao directs the Research Center for Global Family Business at the PBC School of Finance. He explained how the latest technological revolution completely changes the way factories make products. This shift brings fresh energy and new investments into global stock markets. Still, Gao warned that artificial intelligence creates strange new problems for investors. He said smart software makes it harder to price assets correctly and manage financial risks across borders.
Zhu Min previously worked as a deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. He sounded the alarm about new payment systems that use artificial intelligence. Zhu stated that combining digital payments with smart software creates the biggest unknown variable in modern finance. He firmly believes the hidden risks inside these new payment tools are much larger than most bankers realize. He warned that a single systemic failure could easily cost global markets over $1 billion.
To fix this growing problem, Zhu demanded immediate action from global leaders. He asked governments and private companies to team up and write new rules before a crisis hits. He wants technology developers and banking regulators to share information and coordinate their security efforts across borders. Without strict global rules, Zhu fears a simple software mistake could freeze millions of bank accounts in an instant.
The conversation eventually shifted from technology to traditional money. Many speakers agreed that the world desperately needs a better multi-currency system. They complained that powerful nations often use their dominant currencies as weapons during geopolitical fights. Marc Uzan, the founder of the Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee, said central bankers know the current system fails to meet modern demands. Uzan argued that the old monetary rules simply cannot handle modern conflicts or a world with multiple superpowers.
Zhu Min returned to the stage to connect technology and money. He declared that the world had just entered a fierce new phase of currency competition. According to Zhu, artificial intelligence and national currencies will ultimately define the future of global finance. He criticized the current system that relies too heavily on the United States dollar. Zhu argued this one-sided setup creates an unbalanced and dangerous global economy.
To fix this imbalance, Zhu suggested countries use the Chinese renminbi more often. He said making the renminbi a truly international currency helps everyone, not just China. A stronger Chinese currency gives developing nations in the Global South more options when borrowing money or buying goods. Zhu concluded that a diverse financial system protects global stability and supports the continued 5 percent annual growth targets of the Chinese economy.
