China Finance Forum (2006)

Author: Li Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Since its establishment in mid-2003, the Institute of Finance (IFB) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has been hosting the "IFB China Finance Forum." By the end of 2005, it had already held 87 sessions. The primary purpose of establishing this academic forum was to address the challenges of the "knowledge economy." Since the 1990s, the "knowledge economy" has undoubtedly been one of the most widely used concepts in both domestic and international economics. For such a novel phenomenon that is profoundly transforming our economic structure, production methods, social organization, and even behavioral norms and cognitive paradigms, the theoretical community has naturally offered various definitions. However, while perspectives may differ and emphasis may vary, there is a consensus: the knowledge economy signifies the continuous emergence of new concepts, methods, and materials, as well as the constant renewal of knowledge structures. Without a doubt, in the face of this "knowledge explosion," every researcher who wishes to keep up with the times and aspire to innovation must engage in lifelong learning. There are multiple approaches to learning. The simplest way, of course, is to go to school. However, for most individuals who have already entered the workforce and taken on social responsibilities, this approach is not practical. More importantly, the academic experiences of countless scholars tell us that the newest, most useful, and most revolutionary knowledge is often difficult to obtain from the classroom—it is derived from practice, accumulated through the process of tackling one new problem after another, and honed through mutual inspiration among experts. Therefore, to continuously update knowledge and remain at the forefront of academia, what we truly need is to "bring in" scholars with expertise from both domestic and international fields, and to allow researchers within the institute to promptly share their latest learning insights and research findings for discussion. In short, what we need is to foster an academic atmosphere where "the best minds gather." Hosting seminars and academic lectures is precisely how such an atmosphere is cultivated. Similar to the "China Finance Forum" of the past two years, "China Finance Forum: 2006" compiles the speeches of nearly 30 scholars who took the stage in 2005. We hope that this collection of speeches will contribute to the development of China's financial industry and the advancement of financial research.