The Research Center for the Belt & Road Financial and Economic Development (hereinafter referred to as the Research Center) was announced by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the First Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (hereinafter referred to as the Forum) in May 2017. In June of the same year, the Research Center was officially established at Xiamen National Accounting Institute. With the mission of "inheriting the spirit of the Silk Road and serving the Belt and Road Initiative," the Research Center is not only one of the outcomes of the first Forum but also serves as the project management team for the "Belt and Road Economic and Financial Capacity Building Platform" in the List of Practical Cooperation Deliverables of the third Forum, as well as the liaison office for the Belt and Road National Accounting Standards Cooperation Forum.‌

‌Since its establishment, the Research Center has focused on three key areas: think tank research, international exchanges, and capacity development. It closely collaborates with numerous international organizations such as the World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Institute. ‘

Think tank research: the Research Center took the lead in creating the Xnai Financial and Economic Research, actively submitting policy research findings. As of August 2025, more than 40 research reports have received affirmative instructions or been adopted by superior authorities.

International exchanges: it has made efforts in the brand development of three institutionalized international financial and economic exchange activities: the Belt and Road National Accounting Standards Cooperation Forum, the Asia-Pacific Integrity and Compliance Forum, and the Belt and Road High-Quality Development Conference.

Capacity development: it has organized a series of international financial capacity-building activities for over 1,000 financial officials and practitioners from more than 70 countries, effectively telling China's financial stories and gaining widespread recognition from financial departments in Belt and Road partner countries.