On March 26, Mr. Ma Weihua, SDG Impact Steering Group Member of the United Nations Development Programme and former President of China Merchants Bank, was invited to the Collective Talks event at Xinya College. Sitting down with over 30 Tsinghua students, he shared his inspiring journey of spearheading financial reform and dedicating himself to public welfare, as well as his insights on life.

"Although the journey of life is long, there are only a few critical steps." "Choice is more important than wisdom, but it takes wisdom to make the right choice." Mr. Ma opened his sharing session with these earnest remarks. He first looked back on his educational journey. During his years as an educated youth working in the fields, he held fast to his thirst for knowledge, deepening his understanding of life day by day. After the resumption of the National College Entrance Examination, he was admitted to university with outstanding results, forging a lifelong bond with the development of China's economy and finance. During his university years, he believed that the true essence of education was not just about acquiring specific knowledge, but about mastering the ability to learn independently. Reflecting on his career path, from working at the Liaoning Provincial Planning Commission, the General Office of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee, and the People's Bank of China, to finally taking the helm of China Merchants Bank, Mr. Ma candidly stated that every journey in life requires continuous learning and proactively embracing change.

As he reflected on his nearly 15 years at the helm of China Merchants Bank, Mr. Ma's tone was filled with deep emotion and firm resolve. In 1999, he proactively chose to take over this regional bank, which at the time had less than RMB 100 billion in assets. Upon taking office, he immediately faced a dual crisis: the suspension of the bank's offshore operations and a bank run on a major branch. He and his team made every effort to secure U.S. dollars to guarantee foreign payments. By maintaining a calm and confident demeanor, they stabilized public confidence and successfully defused the risks. This crisis further solidified his strategic vision for the development of China Merchants Bank. Anticipating a wave of capital disintermediation and interest rate liberalization in China's banking sector, he recognized the prominent long-term value of retail banking. Consequently, he established retail banking as the core strategy of China Merchants Bank, steering it toward a capital-efficient development path.

To compensate for the shortcomings of a limited branch network, Mr. Ma pioneered the adoption of technology as the core driver of financial innovation. Borrowing operational concepts from IT companies, he pioneered the All-in-One Card, upgrading traditional passbooks into convenient debit cards. He subsequently launched the All-in-One Net online banking platform, allowing financial services to transcend time and space constraints. By featuring a sunflower on the card design, he established the customer-centric service philosophy and cultural slogan of "Change for You," delivering the warmth of China Merchants Bank to millions of households. In the credit card business, he declined partnership offers from major international banks and instead teamed up with CTBC Bank to launch a globally accepted dual-currency credit card. Through innovative marketing models, he shortened the time to profitability from the originally projected eight years to just four. His later exploration of replacing credit cards with mobile payments also laid the groundwork for China Merchants Bank's digital transformation. During his nearly 15-year tenure, his innovative philosophy of achieving coordinated development in efficiency, quality, and scale propelled China Merchants Bank to grow into China's fifth-largest bank and the world's eighth-largest, making it a paradigm of modernization in the Chinese banking sector.

After stepping down as President of China Merchants Bank, Mr. Ma steered the course of his life toward a broader horizon: philanthropy. Serving as Chairman of the One Foundation for 12 years, he introduced modern corporate governance concepts into nonprofit management, promoted transparent and market-oriented operations, and continuously expanded the boundaries of philanthropy. He also championed the concept of ESG investing, built bridges for capital to drive social good, and advocated using business models to solve social problems. Furthermore, as Chairman of the Board of the China Global Philanthropy Institute, he cultivates talent possessing both business acumen and a passion for public welfare. He has always believed that business success is not an end point, but rather a new starting point for serving society. He hopes to leverage the business wisdom accumulated over his lifetime to create more enduring value for society.

The students in the audience eagerly raised questions, which Mr. Ma answered thoughtfully one by one. When addressing questions about initial motivations for philanthropy and career choices, he commended the young students' enthusiasm for public welfare and encouraged them to combine technology with philanthropy. At the same time, he reminded them not to confine themselves to traditional philanthropic fields too early. Instead, they should first deepen their expertise in professional and business domains, and give back to society only after building up sufficient capabilities. When asked how ordinary college students can develop independent thinking and maintain their own judgment in an era of rapid AI development, he emphasized that the knowledge and practical experience accumulated in college are the foundation for decision-making. He noted that every strategic judgment he has made stemmed from insights crystallized through years of practice. In response to a student's question about how to handle decision-making errors, he quoted Su Dongpo's poem: "Life is like an inn, and I am but a passing traveler." He noted that hardships and mistakes are inevitable in life; the key is to learn from them, transform them into a driving force for growth, and avoid getting bogged down by temporary gains and losses. In closing, Mr. Ma left a message for Tsinghua students: "Those who do not understand the future cannot judge the present; those who do not understand the world cannot understand China; and those who do not understand the macro cannot handle the micro." He encouraged the students to strive for insight into the trends of the times, maintain an open mind, and pursue their dreams. He also urged them to look beyond temporary gains and losses and to forge their own paths in the journey of life.

As the event drew to a close, Professor Mei Ciqi, Dean of Xinya College, expressed his sincere gratitude to Mr. Ma. He noted that Mr. Ma's extraordinary life is truly enviable, but what is even more admirable is that Mr. Ma has always maintained an open mind and a curiosity about the world under all circumstances. He encouraged the students present to draw strength from this dialogue, fearlessly brave the tides of the times, and remain forever young through open-minded exploration.