"Sichuan Financial and Service Industry Conference", hosted by Sichuan Provincial Government, Sichuan Provincial Investment Promotion Bureau and Sichuan Provincial Government Finance Office, was held in Shanghai on Wednesday.

Over 100 principals from banks, insurers, security agencies, trust companies, investment funds, law firms, accounting firms and other financial and service enterprises participated in this conference.

Zhu Hexin, Vice Governor of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, said that the total asset of financial industry in Sichuan has surpassed 9 trillion yuan (1.3 trillion U.S. dollars), ranking 7th across China, and 1st in Central-Western China. Senior officials of Sichuan government invited financial institutions to expand their business in Sichuan, and join the efforts to build Sichuan into the financial center in Western China.

Ouyang Zehua, director of Sichuan Provincial Government Finance Office, said at the conference that the financial industry in Sichuan over past few years runs steadily on the whole and risks are controllable. The financial industry provides a key support for the economic development in Sichuan.

According to Gong Weili, regional senior partner of KPMG China, although the financial industry in Western China lags behind that of Eastern China, yet this indicates new opportunities. Pushed by the "Belt and Road Initiative", the emerging industries including technology and finance is to embrace better development.

Email: gaohan@nbd.com.cn