Dear friends,

Thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries in recent years, the South China Sea remains stable in general, and it has seen some positive trends, such as enhanced maritime cooperation among littoral countries. Despite the impact of various negative factors, including the geopolitical competition between major powers, littoral countries are committed to maintaining the peace and stability in the South China Sea. And the occasional turbulences and tensions have only made home the necessity and significance of having healthy, complementary and stable relations among relevant parties.

It is against this background that the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), in collaboration with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia, initiated a series of workshops themed “Partnership for Regional Peace: Operationalizing ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership in Southeast Asia” during 2014-2016. The workshops have brought together renowned scholars and practitioners from China and ten ASEAN member countries to have in-depth discussions and make joint policy proposals on how to promote cooperation, minimize tensions and build confidence in the South China Sea. And they further highlighted a common vision to enhance exchanges and joint research among think tanks and research institutes on issues relating to the South China Sea so as to contribute to the lasting peace and prosperity of the region. Echoing such vision, the NISCSS and CSIS jointly initiated the China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea (CSARC) in 2016, incorporating seven renowned think tanks and research institutes of China and Southeast Asian countries.

With five years of endeavor, the CSARC has made remarkable achievements as highlighted on this website. We welcome like-minded organizations and individuals to join our membership, and collaboration with scholars and institutions on joint research and various academic events.

Wu Shicun
Chairman,
China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea

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