On the morning of January 12, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) held its review meeting of key cooperation think tanks in the South Tower of MFA. Prof. Wang Jisi, President of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS) attended the meeting on behalf of IISS, commented on the collaboration between IISS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and offered some advices on future work. On the meeting, IISS was appointed as key partner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on policy studies from 2016 to 2018, which is the third time in a row for IISS (formerly known as the Center for Strategic and International Studies) to be awarded this title since 2009. Other institutions who share the same honor are China Institute of International Studies, China Foreign Affairs University, Guangdong Institute for International Strategies and Institute of International Studies, Fudan University.

The meeting was chaired by Zheng Zeguang, Vice Foreign Minister, and attended by Wang Yajun, Director of the Department of Policy Planning, Huang Zheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Policy Planning, as well as representatives from the above six institutions. On behalf of the MFA and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Zheng Zeguang, Vice Foreign Minister, expressed thanks to the above key partners for their suggestions and fully acknowledged their contribution to China’s diplomatic efforts through policy studies and international think tanks cooperation. He also listened to the work reports and suggestions from the six institutions and put forward plans and proposals for the future development of the cooperation. Director Wang Yajun introduced the general guidelines and priorities of China’s diplomatic efforts in 2016.