This year celebrates the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up policy. The accomplishment comes as the country's financial sector offers even more accessibility on all fronts.

YANG CHENGXI SHANGHAI "2018 has been a year of reform and opening-up in China's financial sector. This trend is perhaps most pronounced in the Lujiazui district of the Shanghai free trade zone. That's where more than 800 registered domestic and international financial institutions are situated."

REN KAIFENG, DIRECTOR LUJIAZUI ADMINISTRATIVE BUREAU, SHANGHAI FTZ "Many big US banks, such as Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Bank of America have set up bases here. The free trade zone has been established for four years, and we have streamlined regulations based on our investment negative list. We have also made a structural framework for foreign invested firms to help their foreign exchange management and cross-border use of the RMB."

J.P.Morgan Asset Management is the first foreign financial institution to get a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise license in the district. The company says the reform measures have helped it expand its investment channels.

ZHU CHAOPING, GLOBAL MARKET STRATEGIST JPMORGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT "Such as the stock connect, bond connect and QDLP. These moves can help attract foreign investors with long-term vision so as to enhance investor structure and improve the efficiency of the Chinese financial market."

Collaborations between major Chinese and foreign financial institutions have been accelerating as well under the government policy guidelines. ICBC-AXA Life wealth management is the first investment firm set up by a China-foreign joint venture insurer this year. The company took in insurance fees totalling about six billion US dollars last year. This new outlet has been tasked with managing the funds.

MA JIAN, CHAIRMAN ICBC-AXA LIFE "We have been expanding our investment scope, from merely bank deposits and sovereign bonds in the beginning to targets like stocks, funds and equity now."

2018 also marked progress in China's efforts to build a multi-layered financial market. China's own oil futures contracts debuted on Shanghai's International Energy Exchange in March.

LIU SHIYU, CHAIRMAN CHINA SECURITIES REGULATORY COMMISSION "The launch is in line with directions from the government work report. It marks a step further for Shanghai to become an international financial centre."

The Shanghai crude contract has become the biggest in Asia and the third largest in the world. China is the world's biggest oil importer and analysts say it's destined to become part of the global oil price discovery.

YCX, CGTN, SHANGHAI.