1.Directions and milestones in financial industry development in China 

Forecast on the trends in financial industry:   

Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis in 2008, China's dexterous treatment to the crisis has attracted much international capital into the domestic market. Chinese market potential has reached its all-time high. Based on our special historical reasons to the country, development of the industry in China is lagging behind those of the developed ones, such factors include the conservative consumer attitudes in the past and high national savings rate. The Chinese high savings brings forward greater potential for future consumption. China and Brazil, Russia, India are jointly named the BRIC countries, and the future boom in prosperity and development of industry and commerce in capitalist style for BRIC is blatantly foreseeable. Flourishing development of financial industry is a definite pathway for China in future.    

2. Demand for professional Financial Planners in China  

With the rapid economic and social development, people have their quality of life increased, and more people are now hoping to get professional advice about financial planning. To meet rising market demand in financial planning, financial professionals jump on the wagon to join the financial planning industry, making the industry both attractive and enticing. With substantial increase in demand for planning services, demand for financial planners is also in high-speed growth. 

Financial planners are personnel who would use financial planning principles, techniques and methods to tailor make plans for individuals, families and small and medium enterprises, meeting their financial goals and providing comprehensive financial advisory services. Financial planners are not only equipped with themselves the relevant knowledge of the industry, but also rich experience in the industry and strong communication skills. As financial planning provides a full range of financial planning services, thus requiring financial planners to fully grasp a variety of financial instruments and related laws and regulations to provide customers with personalized, practical financial solutions, while the proposals are constantly revised to meet  long-term and ever-changing financial needs of the customers. 

Financial planners are generally required to have extensive experience in finance, investment, economics, stock and commodities. They have good character, professional ethics and excellent communication skills.  Banks and insurance companies have Financial Planning division that offers services as an independent third party to provide financial services. 

3. Chinese Financial Planner heading to professionalism and internationalization 

As innovative financial instruments are flooding into the market, financial products are numerous and plentiful.  Lack of adequate professional knowledge makes individuals the second best managers to oversee their personal wealth, therefore professional and comprehensive financial services are in urgent demand. Now the role of financial planners in China reveals a promising prospect for development in a new industry. Currently the industry is at its infant stage and its influence is still gathering momentum. The fact is that the number of financial planners hardly satisfies the huge market demand. 

4. Adieu to chaos in the financial planning industry after the Warring States Period 

From the perspective of developing certified examination training, the entire industry is moving beyond post-Warring States Period. CICFP has shouldered the important mission of optimizing and integrating domestic and international features to produce localized certified training for financial planners. CICFP has received wide recognition from various financial institutions, becoming the leader of the industry to build up a national brand for financial planning certification. Many certification systems, which take on international fame, have gradually failed to stand on their own feet in the market. 

5. Harmonization with domestic situation to reach international standards 

In recent years, financial planners in foreign brands have been flocking into China. High-quality foreign certification help improve the overall quality of practitioners in financial planning industry, which has been enjoying much benefit.  However, policies and cultural aspects of the western and the eastern worlds have deep-rooted differences; other issues of discrepancy like costs, lecturers' qualification and localization are also worth consideration.  The hybrid of foreign certification with domestic one will be seen as appropriate for China's national conditions.

Localization is the premise of internationalization - if China is not well prepared with its competitive edge, the Chinese entities are unable to squeeze themselves into the league of multinationals worldwide. The consequence is that it will be marginalized. The certificate courses offered by CICPA contain three irreplaceable features: internationalization, localization, and down-to-earth. The courses are more geared to Chinese standard, and strongly adaptable to current status.

6. Important Vision of CICFP 

CICFP assumes the important vision of developing the financial sector by mastering the national conditions.  It emphasizes down-to-earth approach, which is the motto of CICFP in its training to financial planners. CICFP with international and domestic financial industry experts with years of solid experience in financial planning. Aspects like conformity, professionalism, experience, practicality, finance and financial planning are molded into one being. CICFP also carries out its mission of developing professional qualifications for financial planners in China.