From October 23 to 25, the 2025 Bund Summit was successfully held in Huangpu District, Shanghai, under the theme “Embracing Transformations: New Order, New Technology.” The event was co-hosted by the China Finance 40 Forum (CF40) and Tsinghua University, with the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS), Tsinghua University serving as one of the organizers.
During the three-day summit, 121 political leaders, senior executives, and academic figures from 21 countries and regions participated in a series of roundtable discussions and dialogues, addressing major issues of economics, finance, and governance against the backdrop of intertwined global order reconstruction and technological revolution.
On October 23, Wu Wei, Standing Committee Member of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Shanghai, attended the opening session. Yang Bin, Vice Chair of the University Council of Tsinghua University, delivered remarks on behalf of the organizers. Jean-Claude Trichet, Chairman of the Bund Summit International Advisory Committee, Member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques of France (2023), and former President of the European Central Bank, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
In the opening remarks, the organizers highlighted that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly penetrating all sectors of the economy and society with unprecedented speed, breadth, and depth—reshaping human production, lifestyles, and modes of thinking. They described AI as an “industrial revolution of cognition.” This transformation, they noted, could potentially create exponential disparities among individuals, enterprises, and nations depending on their level of AI empowerment. Against this backdrop of opportunity and challenge—marked by the lack of global consensus on AI governance—the organizers expressed hope that the Summit would facilitate meaningful East–West dialogue and contribute new momentum to the shared well-being of humanity.
Mr. Trichet summarized the main themes of this year’s summit through a “3–4–5 framework”: three sessions focused on green transition, four on changes in the international order, and five on artificial intelligence. He emphasized that the rapid rise of AI represents “one of the most significant challenges humanity has ever faced” and cautioned against the reemergence of the “Solow Paradox”—where technological investment does not immediately translate into productivity gains. He urged policymakers and stakeholders to carefully evaluate both the opportunities and risks of AI and to ensure its development in a safe and efficient manner.
On the afternoon of October 23, CISS organized a roundtable discussion themed “Global Transformations: Forces, Visions, and Pathways in Reshaping the International Order.” The session was moderated by Xiao Qian, Deputy Director of CISS, and featured remarks from Da Wei, Director of CISS; Jeffrey Sachs, Professor at Columbia University and former Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General; Sarah Beran, Partner at Macro Advisory Partners; Alfred Schipke, Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Director of the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore; and Monica Defend, Head of the Amundi Investment Institute and member of its Executive Committee. The participants shared insights on the dynamics and prospects of the evolving global landscape.
During the Summit, Professor Yao Qizhi, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dean of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence at Tsinghua University, and Professor Bai Chong’en, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, also participated in separate roundtables on “The Transformative Landscape of Future Artificial Intelligence” and “Technological Innovation Empowering a Manufacturing Powerhouse: From Scale to Innovation.” Both scholars engaged in in-depth exchanges with fellow participants on AI, innovation, and sustainable economic development.