Recently, CBHB Chairman Wang Jinhong has been focused on government-bank cooperation initiatives. In late July, the Hedong District Party Committee Secretary led a delegation to visit the bank's headquarters, holding discussions with Wang Jinhong on deepening collaboration, revitalizing regional resources, and preventing financial risks. Wang emphasized that the bank would proactively align with the district's development plans and increase credit support to the region.

The bank's headquarters is located in Hedong District. For Wang Jinhong, enhancing government-bank ties and elevating the headquarters' influence is a strategic necessity. By 2026, Wang will enter his third year at the helm, which also marks a period of significant challenges.

Crossing the 2 trillion yuan asset threshold signifies a new chapter for CBHB. As of end-June 2026, total assets reached 2.028 trillion yuan, up 4.85% from the end of the previous year. The key question now is how the bank will drive profitability and maintain asset quality at this new scale.

Wang Jinhong faces several major tests. The first is revenue decline. Since taking the chairman role in July 2023, he has worked to restore revenue and profit growth. After a dip in both metrics in 2023, the bank saw positive growth in 2024 and 2025. However, in the first half of 2026, revenue slipped again. Revenue for January-June 2026 stood at 13.952 billion yuan, down 1.85% year-on-year, while net profit rose 8.37% to 4.151 billion yuan, reflecting profit growth without revenue expansion.

The primary reason for the revenue drop is lower non-interest income. In H1 2026, net interest income increased 5.95% to 8.525 billion yuan, but non-interest net income fell 12.02% to 5.428 billion yuan. Within that, fee and commission income surged 52.54% to 1.79 billion yuan, while other non-interest income dropped 27.19% to 3.637 billion yuan. Investment gains from financial assets declined sharply by 33.7% to 3.206 billion yuan, significantly impacting results.

Wang has also focused on cost reduction. The bank's cost-to-income ratio fell from over 40% in 2023 to 32.35% in H1 2026. Operating expenses decreased 2.67% year-on-year to 4.71 billion yuan, with staff costs down 3.57% to 2.726 billion yuan. The workforce was slightly reduced, with 14,153 employees at end-June 2026, down 17 from 14,170 at end-2025. Average per-capita compensation for the first half was approximately 192,600 yuan, including wages, bonuses, social insurance, and benefits.

Meanwhile, management compensation continued to rise. In H1 2026, key management personnel received 5.738 million yuan, an increase of 108,000 yuan year-on-year.

The second challenge is rising non-performing loans (NPLs). Loans and advances grew by 52.447 billion yuan to over 1.002 trillion yuan by end-June 2026. NPL balances increased by 1.961 billion yuan to 17.882 billion yuan, with the NPL ratio rising 0.10 percentage points to 1.76%. Notably, personal loans contracted 9.93% to 183.76 billion yuan, yet asset quality pressure persisted, with the personal loan NPL ratio jumping 1.13 percentage points to 4.93%.

Regionally, the highest NPL ratio was in Central and South China at 2.76% as of June 30. The third test involves regulatory compliance. On August 21, CBHB and its wealth management subsidiary, Bo Yin Wealth Management, received hefty fines totaling 62.45 million yuan. The parent bank was fined 50.15 million yuan for imprudent lending, bill, and wealth management practices, with three individuals warned and fined 220,000 yuan combined. The subsidiary was fined 12.3 million yuan for improper investment operations and inaccurate disclosures, with two individuals warned and fined 110,000 yuan combined.

Wealth management remains a fast-growing segment for the bank. In H1 2026, Bo Yin Wealth Management generated 241 million yuan in revenue, up 18.72% year-on-year, and net profit of 136 million yuan, up 29.52%.