上海将成国际金融中心

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25日，国务院常务会议审议并原则通过"关于推进上海加快发展现代服务业和先进制造业 建设国际金融中心和国际航运中心的意见"。这向海内外释放了一个极其重要的信息：上海国际金融中心建设以它推动人民币国际化的宏伟目标和胆略将使中国在不远的将来打开财富管理困境，并迅速成为和制造大国相媲美的金融强国。

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China's economic powerhouse, Shanghai, aims to play a bigger role in the global financial market. The State Council on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for the municipality's proposal to speed up its growth into a major international financial and shipping center by the year 2020. Our reporter Wang Ling has more.

The State Council has confirmed that Shanghai's development in modern services, manufacturing, finance and shipping would be a great advantage for the Yangtze River Delta and the whole country at large. The central government urged Shanghai to be developed into a multi-functional financial center by 2020 to match China's economic influence and the yuan's international position.

Professor Xu Mingqi is deputy director of the Institute of World Economics with Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. He says this policy shows China's faith in the development of financial markets in both China and the world.

"China has become the world's third-largest economy. It is expected that by year of 2020, China will surpass Japan to be the second largest economy. It is also hopeful that the Chinese Yuan will become a new world-favored currency by then. So, this decision is shaped to get the country prepared for the development of world economy and its new responsibility in the global financial institution."

Professor Xu Mingqi explains that Shanghai, being the country's economic hub, is the top choice amongst the country's big cities. It enjoys a more developed financial system, a higher level of openness and matured market mechanism among other traits that an international financial center demands.

Yet, Professor Xu says problems still remain for Shanghai to reach that goal. He suggests the major task is to improve the anti-risk capability of the current financial system.

"A reason behind China's less-suffering from the global financial crisis is its market's relatively low level of openness, especially with the financial market. As we speed up our move to reach a highly open market, we will also be more exposed to blows from the global financial turbulence. So the major problem to solve ahead is how to reinforce the financial system with efficient counter measures against possible crisis."

Professor Xu Mingqi adds that improvement of soft environment, like the making and enforcement of relevant laws and regulations and introducing more talented professionals are also issues Shanghai should consider to achieve its goal.

"So far, both the central and local governments have taken measures to meet the challenges. For instance, detailed policies are being made and discussed in the central government; and financial institutions began to relocate their watchdogs to monitor the market crisis in Shanghai. The municipality has also picked up its moves to improve its infrastructure and to establish its talent pool."

In order to attract financial professionals worldwide, Shanghai is loosening its residence policy; and at the same time, the local government is planning a proposal aiming to simplify the immigrant procedure for financial professionals to work in Shanghai.