How will CITIC Bank proceed in 2026? Chairman Fang Heying puts forward three thoughts and four core focus areas

On March 23, frontline financial news reported that CITIC Bank held its 2025 annual performance briefing today. Regarding CITIC Bank’s 2026 operational strategy, Chairman Fang Heying shared three key reflections:

1. Guided by three strategies, continuously refine and deepen core capabilities. Fang Heying mentioned that it was clearly outlined at the beginning-of-year meeting that CITIC Bank will fully implement the “Three Strategies” over the next five years, encompassing “Three Excellence and Three Leading” six core capabilities, which serve as the long-term driving force for the bank’s development.

2. High-level coordination of the five major financial initiatives and the construction of a value-oriented bank. Fang Heying pointed out that CITIC Bank will accelerate its transformation, systematically planning the development path of a value bank in the new era of commercial banking while serving new productive forces and thoroughly developing the five major financial initiatives.

3. Market-oriented strategy optimization to build a sustainable, cross-cycle development pattern. Fang Heying stated that adjusting development strategies in response to market changes is the core principle guiding CITIC Bank’s operations in 2026.

Building on these three points, Fang Heying further proposed four key focus areas for CITIC Bank’s development in 2026:

1. Restructure, continuously strengthen risk management centered on structural optimization. Fang Heying emphasized that restructuring is a core task that the entire bank must persistently focus on. The effort to “reiterate the same tune” must be practically implemented, with increased efforts and ongoing promotion. By optimizing asset structure and reinforcing risk management foundations, structural optimization will drive improvements in the bank’s operational quality and efficiency. This will remain a long-term priority.

2. Address weaknesses and establish a new growth model for liability business. Focusing on liability operations as a fundamental base, CITIC Bank will further develop a new liability growth model supported by payment settlement and transaction services, balancing volume and price relationships, and solidifying the cost base of liabilities. Fang Heying described the bank’s attitude towards liability business as “steady accumulation leading to explosive growth,” viewing liability operations as the foundation of the bank’s development, with persistent effort and deep cultivation.

3. Highlight特色，放大综合金融差异化竞争优势。依托中信集团“金融+实业”的独特禀赋，中信银行将持续以综合金融服务模式打造核心竞争力，目前已形成十大综合金融服务模式，涵盖中信联合舰队获客、政府化债资产盘活解决方案、政银合作提质增效、科技企业股债贷保综合融资、资本市场业务协同拓展、信托核心能力协同赋能、产品与服务联合创新、研究风控一体化赋能、企业出海跨境金融联动、金融市场代客投资交易协同等核心场景，通过特色化、综合化服务，构筑同业难以复制的竞争壁垒。

4. Focus on key areas, explore high-quality business growth from multiple dimensions. Targeting high-value markets and quality growth points, precisely mobilize growth momentum. Fang Heying summarized the growth directions into seven core areas: increasing in capital markets, cross-border finance, investment and trading capabilities, wealth management, risk mitigation and collection, new productive forces, new business models, new markets, enriching scenes and ecosystems, and subsidiary collaboration. Through targeted efforts and breakthroughs, achieve high-quality growth.