On the morning of July 27, the 2022 China-US Student Leaders’ Dialogue was held online as Event Series No. 3 of the International Monetary Forum 2022. This event was co-hosted by International Monetary Institute (IMI), Renmin University of China (RUC) and the US CET Academic Project, co-organized by the Youth League of School of Finance of RUC and Gintong Global Financial Talents Program.

This forum was themed “Sino-US cooperation in green finance”. International students attending the forum were from world-class universities such as University of Washington, Yale University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University and George Washington University. Domestic students were from Renmin University of China, the University of Hong Kong, Central University of Finance and Economics, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Minzu University of China, Xiamen University, Tianjin University of Commerce, Shanghai International Studies University, Harbin Institute of Technology and Beihang University. They have fully exchanged their ideas on the theme.

The first half session of the forum was presided over by Luo Yu, deputy secretary of CPC, School of Finance, RUC, and the second half by Wang Chenxi, lecturer, School of Finance, RUC. The forum admitted a total of 18 papers, among which six came from the US students and 12 from the domestic students. Paper presenters were Kristen Bentley from University of Washington, Chen Shuobing from the University of Hong Kong, Hong Sijia from Central University of Finance and Economics, Jacques Cornec from Yale University, Huang Ping from Sun Yat-sen University, Lei Tianyi from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Grace Gelaude from Georgia Institute of Technology, Li Ming from Minzu University of China, Li Yuntian from Renmin University of China, and Edwin Jin from Harvard University, Lin Bofan from Xiamen University, Lin Jingcheng from Tianjin University of Commerce, Olivia Pfeiffer from George Washington University, Pan Yingying from Shanghai International Studies University, Ren Yujie from Harbin Institute of Technology, Anna Tran from Yale University, Zhang Haoxuan from Beihang University, and Zhang Hongwei from Central University of Finance and Economics.

The guests all recognized and appreciated the students’ excellent performance. Guo Jianwei, former editor-in-chief of China Financial Publishing House and senior research fellow of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability, not just recognized their academic rigor and the referability of their suggestions, but also added more details to the concept of green finance as well as the sovereignty and boundary of virtual currency. Sun Mingchun, chief economist of Haitong International Securities Group Limited and vice chairman of Chinese Financial Association of Hong Kong, expected the students to raise awareness of the reality and urgency of climate risks. He expressed his hope that they could brave the challenges ahead and shoulder the responsibility of developing green finance, since risks often come with opportunities. Zhou Yueqiu, chief economist of ICBC, believed that tackling climate challenges was a global task. He praised the students for their enthusiasm and responsible attitudes. Meanwhile, as an insider of financial institutions and a green finance researcher, he stressed that the research system of green finance had yet to be mature, so he encouraged the students to further engage in in-depth researches and international cooperation on addressing climate challenges. Lan Hong, deputy director of the Center for Eco-Finance Studies, RUC, and professor of School of Environment & Natural Resources, RUC, emphasized the necessity of Sino-US cooperation in green finance, analyzed the macro policies for promoting this area in China, and noted that green finance must be combined with financial technology. Lu Dong, associate professor of School of Finance of RUC, encouraged them to study the relationship between green finance and currency internationalization, held that the key to the internationalization of RMB lied in a multi-layered financial system where the domestic bond market played a vital role. Zhou Guangwen, chairman of board, Ginkgo Capital and Beijing Gintong Investment Co., Ltd. and vice chairman of the Union of Finance Alumni of Peking University, put forward three key words of green finance: globalization, technology and finance. By integrating green finance with globalization, technology and, above all, the future monetary system, he offered new angles to this field.

At this forum, in the spirit of seeking common ground, reserving differences and pursuing win-win cooperation, the students from China and the US fully discussed about the prospect of Sino-US cooperation on green finance in an open-minded and innovative manner, contributing their wisdom to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. This forum served as an inclusive platform for the students from the two countries to freely exchange their insights. It has deepened their understanding of green finance and Sino-US financial cooperation, and enhanced the friendship between the young generations of the two countries.