The Application of Fin-Tech in China
Author: Prof Enjiang Cheng
Digital technological innovations have fundamentally transformed the design and delivery of financial products and services. FinTech (financial technologies) has the potential to reduce transaction costs and credit risks in rural and agricultural lending, thereby alleviating the severe credit rationing faced by many smallholders in less developed countries (LDCs). This paper examines the evolution of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) in China as they adopt fintech, amid rising competition from commercial banks and major internet platforms and within a shifting regulatory environment. Using Chongho Bridge—a Chinese non-bank financial and agricultural service provider—as a case study, the paper analyses the digitalisation process and other strategic adjustments undertaken by NBFIs to address the challenges brought about by fintech development in China. The findings offer important insights for the application of fintech to promote financial inclusion in China and other LDCs.
China and the Online Scam Industry in Southeast Asia: Lessons for Governance
This project challenges simplistic narratives that frame the online scam industry in Southeast Asia as a purely ‘Chinese’ phenomenon. Through mapping the diverse actors involved and analysing how the Chinese state has sought to rein in the industry, it aims to identify lessons for improving governance of ethnic Chinese transnational crime in the region.
Human Trafficking for Forced Criminality in Southeast Asia’s Online Scam Industry: Lessons from China and Indonesia
This comparative study examines the experiences of Chinese and Indonesian victims of human trafficking for forced criminality in Southeast Asia’s scam compounds. It focuses on media portrayals, recruitment mechanisms, the role of civil society in assisting survivors, and relations between workers of different nationalities within scam operations.
Diaspora, Gender, and Migration in China–Southeast Asia Relations
A companion project investigating diaspora communities and their role in shaping mobility, gender dynamics, and people-to-people connectivity between China and Southeast Asia.
Diaspora Activism and Global China
This project examines diaspora activism in the context of Global China, with a focus on environmental issues, smuggling, and civil society dynamics. It aims to produce research for both academic and public audiences.