China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An Insurance, has announced its collaboration with Beijing-based Tsinghua University.
The research university partnership has led to the creation of the duo’s global financial and economic development research centre and global medical and health care research centre.
As China strives towards attaining technological excellence, the new research centres were up conceptualised and established as part of the nation’s move towards building a “global top-grade think tank”.
Fintech, healthtech and smart nation
In a recent press release, Ping An revealed that by utilising “the world-leading scientific research capabilities and elite scientists of Tsinghua University, and the results of technology innovation in fintech, healthtech and smart city development by the Ping An Group”, China hopes to see advancement in the health care space.
This development hopes to improve the health care level across the country. Going forward, Chinese and overseas scientists will make up a committee that overlooks the operations and activities within the two centres.
Li Jiange, Chairman of Sun Yefang Foundation of China and Vice Chairman of Central Huijin Investment will lead the global financial and economic development research centre.
The team will analyse leading fintech developments, and explore global cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain and big data.
In addition, the centre team will focus on key issues in globalisation, strategy development and forward-looking planning.
21st-century medical applications
The twosome created the global medical and health care research centre, under the guidance of Jin Xiaotao, Vice Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China.
The centre will concentrate on the research of medical applications of artificial intelligence, personal health risks, medical services institutions' management, health economics and health big data.
One of its key aims is to boost the academic level of domestic medical theory research and boost the strength of research results to advance health care. The ultimate objective is to achieve “Healthy China”, which aims to raise awareness and inform citizens about considerable livelihood concerns.
Integration of R&D
Commenting on insights from the recent report on the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Dr. Chen Xu, Tsinghua University Secretary of Party Committee, said: "It is necessary to speed up the construction of an innovative country and establish a technologically innovative system based on the needs of enterprises that is market-oriented and represents a deep integration of technological research and innovation which promotes the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.”
"We are glad to collaborate with the top university in the country to establish a global top-grade financial and medical think tank, to advance the development of China's fintech and healthtech to become world-leaders, so as to contribute Chinese ingenuity to the development of global technologies and offer a Chinese solution," stated Dr. Peter Ma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ping An.
Sharing his view on the potential achievements of Ping An and Tsinghua University, Dr. Yang Bin, Vice President and Dean of Tsinghua University and Executive Dean of Global Development Institute, observed: “They will focus on providing assistance to the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, host in-depth discussions of major technologies, strategies and development of the Party and state governance, constructing a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, build great policies and help China's building out its Belt and Road initiative and the global development strategy of Tsinghua University."