China’s economy is slowing down and expected to enter the so called “medium high growth” track. However, it is unanimously agreed that the goal cannot be achieved without deep structural reforms. Thus reform on the State-owned Enterprises (SOE) is one of the high portfolio economic strategies in China. In September, 2015 Central Committee and the State Council announced the proposal on SOE reform. The proposal appears to be aimed at much-needed longer term structural change. If the reform is successful implemented, SOE system would be more modernized, and market-oriented. And it may create a wide range of business opportunities to both domestic and foreign investors. As a government consultant, Dr. Bo Chen will share his viewpoints and analyses on the background, logic, as well as challenges, of the SOE reform.

Professor Bo CHEN received his Ph.D. degree in Economics from Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) in 2008.

Besides his current appointment in Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SHUFE), Dr. Chen is also a Research Associate of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). Since June 2013, Dr. Chen has served as the executive director of the Research Centre on Free Trade Zone and participated in the consultation for the establishment of China (Shanghai) Free Trade Trial Zone. He was selected to give talks on Shanghai FTZ to senior officers of Ministry of Treasury, Ministry of Commerce. Since 2015 he has been a senior consultant to Fujian and Guangdong FTZs. Furthermore he is also invited to lecture senior executives of central State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council on “One Belt, One Road” Initiative. Dr. Chen remains as a senior consultant (to both central government and Shanghai Municipal government) on various undergoing macroeconomic reforms, especially on the policies on trade, investment, and SOEs.

His opinions about China’s economy policies appear in various mainstream media such as CCTV, BBC, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Lianhe Zaobao. Besides the central/federal governments of China, New Zealand, and Australia, Dr. Chen has also given keynote speeches on China Macroeconomic Policies and Reforms to many leading business groups and think tanks such as the Goldman Sacks Group, HSBC, the Deutsche Bank, BAML, the Asian Society, CEPII and the Rhodium Group.