Highlights from the 7th China Small‑and‑Medium Bank Development Summit on FinTech and Risk Management (Nov 29‑30 2018, Guangzhou)

The 7th China Small‑and‑Medium Bank Development Summit took place in Guangzhou on November 29‑30 2018 under the theme “FinTech and Risk Prevention for Small‑and‑Medium Banks in the New Era.” Organized by *Contemporary Banker* magazine, Hongru Financial Education Foundation, and Ant Financial, the event attracted around 200 senior executives from joint‑stock banks, city‑commercial banks, rural‑commercial banks, regulators, and leading fintech firms.

Speakers emphasized that small‑and‑medium banks are actively pursuing technology‑driven business strategies, digital transformation, and the adoption of advanced technologies to enhance products, services, and inclusive finance. At the same time, they highlighted the growing complexity of risk environments and the need for robust risk‑prevention mechanisms.

Key viewpoints included:

Li Zheping (Executive President & Editor‑in‑Chief, *Contemporary Banker*) noted that despite global economic uncertainty, Chinese banks are accelerating fintech adoption, which is expanding financing channels for SMEs and supporting inclusive finance.

Cui Jincai (Chairman, Hongru Education Foundation) stressed that fintech brings efficiency and new service models but also introduces risk‑control challenges that must be addressed through shared learning.

Chen Yunxian (Former Vice‑Governor, Guangdong Provincial Government) warned that while fintech reshapes banking structures and customer experience, the balance between innovation and risk management remains critical.

Liu Weiguang (Vice‑President, Ant Financial) highlighted Ant Financial’s 14‑year journey of using technology to accelerate inclusive finance and to guide the digital transformation of banks.

Wang Jiong (President, Zhongyuan Bank) introduced the “seven‑transformation” strategy (organizational agility, intelligent risk control, ecosystem‑based customer acquisition, intelligent operations, precise marketing, platform‑based systems, cross‑disciplinary talent).

Zhao Weixing (President, Xinwang Bank) described the bank’s digital transformation focusing on intelligent risk control, operations, acquisition, and marketing, including real‑time marketing and machine‑learning models.

Qiu Bin (President, Guangzhou Bank) advocated a customer‑centric strategy, collaborative development, and inter‑bank cooperation to build smart, data‑driven banking services.

Wang Penghu (Deputy General Manager, Audit Department, CITIC Bank) warned that technology cannot solve inherent banking risks and emphasized respecting technology’s limits.

Chen Wu (President, Guangdong Nanyue Bank) showcased the bank’s AI‑driven risk‑assessment platform that creates multidimensional customer profiles and automates credit decisions.

Wang Yuanzhong (Assistant President, Weifang Bank) outlined a “1234+N” fintech development plan covering core systems, platforms, business lines, channels, and emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI, cloud, and biotech.

Huang Wenyu (General Manager, IT Department, China Guangfa Bank) described the bank’s three‑fold digital strategy: integrated finance, intelligence, and ecosystem building.

Cai Xiaojun (Vice President, Jiangxi Bank) announced plans to establish a fintech lab in Shenzhen to attract talent and incentivize innovation.

Wang Pengju (Chief Information Officer, Xiamen International Bank) highlighted AI applications in smart branches, anti‑fraud, risk early‑warning, and intelligent operations.

Ye Zhao (Vice President, IT Department, Nanjing Bank) explained the bank’s cloud‑based distributed finance platform powered by Ant Financial’s technology, enabling shared services for small‑and‑medium banks.

Wu Hongtao (President, Huaxing Bank) emphasized the need for banks to leverage fintech for rapid “curve‑jump” growth through ecosystem, platform, and digital strategies, while fostering both external collaboration and internal capability building.

Huang Jinlao (Chairman, Suning Bank) described the bank’s focus on supply‑chain finance, consumer finance, micro‑enterprise finance, and wealth management, all driven by fintech‑enabled online, intelligent, and data‑centric solutions.

The summit underscored that fintech—including big data, cloud computing, AI, and blockchain—is reshaping the banking industry, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation while demanding vigilant risk management and a balanced, technology‑aware banking culture.