Year 2008 is witnessing a rapidly changing global economic and financial landscape and therefore frequent readjustment of China's macroeconomic policy. This has put the development of China’s banking industry in a very challenging context. Both domestic and foreign banks have to confront the difficulties and turn them into opportunities for further growth. While domestic banks are obliged to expand its global perspective and integrate into the world market, multinational entrants are concerned with an effective China strategy to tap into this new market. It is also against this competitive landscape that the issues of risk control, innovation and profitability are brought into full play. Forum 2008, by providing a powerful East-West dialogue, will probe into the key themes driving China’s banking industry, from the perspectives of government policy-makers, industry leaders and renowned academics.