The day began with a visit to CITIC Financial Holdings, at its 108-storey headquarters in Beijing. As one of the largest state-owned financial holding groups, CITIC has a storied history, founded by Rong Yiren, one of the key figures in China’s modern economic development. Delegates were introduced to CITIC's Financial Plaza super app, which integrates the financial capabilities of its 12 subsidiaries, including CITIC Bank, CITIC Securities, and CITIC-Prudential Life Insurance. The app represents CITIC’s commitment to wealth management digitalisation, combining banking, asset management, and insurance into one unified platform for enhanced customer experiences.

CITIC’s AI-driven portfolio insights and customer-centric strategy, positions it as one of the key players in China's evolving wealth management space. This integration ensures seamless cross-service offerings and provides personalised financial advisory services at scale, further solidifying its role as a modern financial powerhouse.

At Tongdun Technologies, also known globally as TrustDecision, the delegation was introduced to the company's pioneering AI-powered risk management tools. Tongdun is known for its global reach, serving more than 3000 businesses worldwide, providing critical solutions in areas such as fraud detection, credit risk, and compliance management.

The discussion centred on the company’s advanced capabilities in fraud prevention and real-time transaction monitoring. Tongdun’s device fingerprinting technology ensures accurate identification and fraud detection across diverse industries, including e-commerce, financial services, and cross-border payments. Its technology is capable of processing 200,000 transactions per second, helping clients, including leading financial institutions manage risk at unprecedented scale. This visit highlighted the role of AI in securing digital finance ecosystems, demonstrating how Chinese firms are leading innovation in risk solutions.

The day concluded with a visit to the Bank of Beijing, which has a rich history dating back to 1996. With over $500 billion in assets, it is one of China’s largest city commercial banks, known for its strategic partnership with ING Group, which has helped drive its digital transformation efforts. Delegates were invited to explore the bank’s cutting-edge IT Research and Development Centre, which includes a 128-seat Enterprise Control and Command (ECC) Centre.

The bank has recently completed its ambitious One Bank, One Platform project, which integrates multiple systems into a unified platform powered by its proprietary FINOS operating system. Delegates learned about the bank’s ongoing three-year system migration journey, which is modernising its legacy infrastructure. The bank’s strategy focuses on AI-driven automation, data governance, and financial inclusion solutions that cater to underserved populations, as well as advancing supply chain finance.

Day 3 of the tour provided the delegates with a thorough understanding of how wealth management, risk solutions, and digital transformation are transforming China’s financial landscape. From the innovation-led strategies of CITIC Financial Holdings to Tongdun Technologies’ global expansion in AI-powered risk solutions, and the digital transformation journey of Bank of Beijing, the day's insights highlighted the country’s ongoing technological advancements and their impact on the financial sector.