Former Vice Chairman of the National Social Security Fund, Wang Zhongmin: Accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation requires AI and ESG to "move towards each other"

On June 18, the 2025 China Responsible Investment Forum (China SIF) Summer Summit was successfully held in Suzhou Industrial Park. More than 20 experts from regulatory, market, and academic circles delivered speeches or participated in dialogues on the theme of "ESG Empowering Industrial Innovation and Transformation." Over 200 representatives from financial institutions, listed companies, and academic institutions attended the event.

ESG Empowering Industrial Innovation

Guo Peiyuan, Chairman of the China Responsible Investment Forum, Chairman of Shandao Ronglv, and China Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), hosted the summit. He introduced that information disclosure, transition finance, and the shift of ESG "from virtual to real" are new trends in the sustainable finance field in recent years. The real economy is increasingly focusing on ESG issues, driving industrial innovation and transformation. Several cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou, have introduced ESG promotion policies. Therefore, the summer summit will focus on new trends in sustainable finance and explore the practices of ESG empowering industrial innovation.

Wang Zhongmin, former Vice Chairman of the National Social Security Fund Council and Honorary Chairman of the China Responsible Investment Forum, delivered the opening speech for the summer summit. Wang Zhongmin believes that accelerating the green and low-carbon transition requires a dual approach of AI and ESG, exploring innovation, which also constitutes new elements of regional economic competitiveness, such as in parks.

ESG and Green Finance

The first round of keynote speeches focused on the development trends of ESG and green finance.

Eric USHER, head of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), stated that China has made remarkable progress in building sustainable finance policies that align with global standards and plays a leading role in the sustainable finance field.

Yu Jin, Deputy Director of the International Business Department of Puyin Ansheng Fund, stated that an effective collaborative closed loop among the government, industry organizations, and enterprises can strengthen the local characteristics of China's ESG standards while enhancing global adaptability, ultimately achieving a transition from being a standard follower to a rule participant.

The first roundtable discussion revolved around "ESG and Transition Finance Progress," hosted by Tang Binqi, head of the examination office at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s School of Business. Participants included Han Xiaoyan, head of ESG research at Harvest Fund, Yang Guiyuan, General Manager of the Risk Management Department of Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank, Zhang Shunrong, Senior Director of the Asia-Pacific region at the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), Qian Gumei, founder of Evergreenp, and Miao Xiaohui, Secretary of the Board of Directors of Innovent Biologics.

ESG Promoting Industrial Transformation and Upgrading

The second round of keynote speeches focused on "ESG Promoting Industrial Transformation and Upgrading."

Guan Jinqi, Manager of International Affairs and Sustainable Finance at the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, stated that companies making comparable and credible high-quality sustainable-related disclosures, including transition plans, will help them further gain more investment and financing opportunities Chief Sustainability Officer of GCL Group, Song Yunbo introduced that GCL has achieved the visualization, quantification, and credibility of the low carbon footprint of component products made from granular silicon through the construction of the GCL Carbon Chain Management Platform, which can compensate for the shortcomings of the carbon footprint of Chinese photovoltaic products and create a local green carbon factor library for China's photovoltaic industry.

General Manager of the Investor Relations Department of China COSCO Shipping Ports Limited, Wu Weiji and Sustainability Manager Fan Li shared their practical experiences in the ESG field under the theme "Moving Towards Green, Thriving with Intelligence, ESG Empowering New Productive Forces in Ports."

Director of Industrial Projects at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Du Wei introduced the results of collaborative research. Based on the study of different steel companies' low-carbon transformation paths and financing characteristics, the research team developed a "Financial Toolbox for Low-Carbon Transformation of Steel Enterprises" that matches the types of steel companies, transformation technologies, and financing tools.

The second roundtable discussion focused on the topic "Precise Financial Support for Industrial Transformation," hosted by Wu Qi, Director of the Environmental Law and Governance Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Li Wenjie, Deputy Director of the Urban Development Research Institute of Suzhou Industrial Park, Chen Ji, Managing Director of CICC Research Institute, Alexey Akulov, Chief Expert of the Environmental and Social Governance Bureau of the New Development Bank (NDB), Butch BACANI, Head of Sustainable Insurance at the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), and Huang Jing, Deputy General Manager of the Green Finance Division of Jiujiang Bank, shared how different types of financial institutions support low-carbon transformation and how industrial parks help connect and introduce financial resources to green low-carbon industries based on their respective institutional practices.

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