HKEX(HK:00388) 经济观察报·2025-12-29 08:15Core Viewpoint - The essence of all financial products is a swap, exchanging current funds for future cash flows or values [4] Group 1: Background and Career of Li Xiaojia - Li Xiaojia, known as "Mr. Connect," has built bridges between Chinese enterprises and international capital throughout his financial career [3] - His tenure at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) focused on deepening the connectivity between China's financial market and the world [4] - Li Xiaojia founded "滴灌通" (Drip Irrigation) to connect global capital with micro and small enterprises, aiming to enhance financial supply channels for these businesses [4] Group 2: Development of Market Connectivity - The initial concept of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect was sketched on a napkin by Li Xiaojia and the then-chairman of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, outlining a path for cross-border trading [8] - The core challenge was to achieve a market-oriented connection between the open Hong Kong capital market and the capital-controlled mainland market [8] - The Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect was officially launched on November 17, 2014, marking a significant step towards the two-way opening of the mainland capital market [10] Group 3: Innovations and Reforms - The introduction of "same share, different rights" structures for companies like Xiaomi was a pivotal reform, allowing innovative firms to list in Hong Kong instead of the U.S. [13][14] - Li Xiaojia's efforts to acquire the London Stock Exchange were driven by the strategic value of its assets, including global clearing and index-setting capabilities [19][15] Group 4: Drip Irrigation's Business Model - Drip Irrigation aims to provide financial services to micro and small enterprises, which are often underserved by traditional financial products [17] - The company faced challenges in its initial phase, particularly during the pandemic, but managed to achieve nearly 10% returns despite the difficulties [18] - The transition to the 2.0 phase revealed the need for standardized financial products to meet institutional investors' demands [19] Group 5: Future Plans and Market Structure - The 3.0 phase of Drip Irrigation focuses on creating a "central kitchen" to standardize cash flows from numerous small enterprises into asset-backed securities (ABS) [20] - The plan includes developing various investment products to cater to different types of investors, enhancing the overall market ecosystem [21]