The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has released its 2026 provincial and ministerial project selection directions and application guidelines, setting out priority research areas and the process for submitting project proposals to build a reserve of research outputs supporting capital market risk prevention, stronger supervision and high-quality development. The CSRC lists 12 topic areas spanning listed company governance under the new company law, mechanisms aligning public funds with investor interests, investment mechanisms and pension finance, oversight of accounting firms’ capital market practices, AI-driven changes in investor behaviour and related supervisory questions, supervisory capacity in a more open environment, common violations in securities enforcement, policies to promote medium- and long-term fund inflows, capital market pricing efficiency, system inclusiveness and adaptability, support for quality and efficiency upgrades in traditional-industry listed companies, and the broader impacts and challenges of AI and other technologies. Applications should generally be led by one or two organisations with diverse participating units, and lead applicants may include think tanks, universities and research institutes, market institutions such as securities and futures firms and intermediaries, and institutional investors including public and private funds, social security funds, corporate annuities and insurers. Individuals cannot serve as sole lead applicants, and the lead unit is responsible for organising the research group and managing sensitive content. Applications are due by March 31, 2026, with requirements aimed at preventing duplicate or multi-channel submissions. Projects are generally expected to run for 6 to 12 months, with extensions capped at 6 months, and the China Securities Financial Research Institute will organise application review, expert evaluation, ongoing progress checks and acceptance, with selected projects and undertaking units to be announced on the CSRC website.
China Securities Regulatory Commission 2026-02-06
China Securities Regulatory Commission publishes 2026 provincial and ministerial research project priorities and application guidance
The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has issued its 2026 project selection directions and application guidelines, highlighting 12 priority research areas to enhance capital market risk prevention and supervision. Applications, due by March 31, 2026, should be led by organizations such as think tanks and universities, with projects expected to last 6 to 12 months.