Intl. delegates see booming fintech at fair

Mariam Alshamsi (2nd L), Consul General of the United Arab Emirates in Guangzhou, talks with Gina Andreadi (3rd L), Consul General of Greece in Guangzhou, at the booth of Consulate-General of U.A.E. in Guangzhou during the Finexpo today. Photos by Chen Siqi

Gina Andreadi, the Consul General of Greece in Guangzhou, praised the Guangdong-Macao-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area and Shenzhen for their rapid pace of innovation and advancements in fintech, noting that these developments could serve as an inspiration for others.

The distinguished guest shared her thoughts with Shenzhen Daily after touring the 18th Shenzhen International Financial Exposition (FinExpo), which opened today in Hall 9 of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District.

The three-day, 15,000-square-meter FinExpo, one of the largest in China’s financial industry, has drawn 160 exhibitors from financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies, securities firms, and trading platforms, as well as higher education institutes.

“Shenzhen, with a tendency to be the Silicon Valley of China and possibly Asia, has attracted many young engineers and fintech professionals who are eager to see what it is like here,” said Andreadi. “We really look forward to cooperating in innovation, financial services, and green services with China.”

Hong Kong-based Iranian businessman Behzad Mirzaei shows off a ICBC digital RMB hardware wallet at the Finexpo. 

Behzad Mirzaei, an Iranian businessman based in Hong Kong, came to Shenzhen to attend the expo this morning. “China has completely digitized its economy, with solid examples like WeChat Pay, AliPay, Ant Financial Group, and Ping An,” said Mirzaei.

With over 20 years of experience in providing banking and basic financial services to customers, Mirzaei noted that he decided to attend the FinExpo for the first time this year because it has become much more international.

This year’s expo invited institutions from the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Argentina, and the British Virgin Islands to exhibit financial service solutions for companies launching in these countries and regions.

Shenzhen is working on building a financial center with global impact. The trading volume of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ranks first in Asia and third in the world. Furthermore, the assets managed by Shenzhen’s financial institutions have surpassed 2.9 trillion yuan (US$404 billion) -- several of these leading financial companies are showcasing their services at the expo.