Interaction key for think tanks

Many international strategy studies institutes in China have strong abilities in fundamental research, as well as political awareness. But some of them lack real understanding of practical diplomatic activities and so their research cannot meet the needs of decision-making in foreign affairs.

The government-sponsored institutes have considerable restrictions on their use of funds. Most of their money is spent in building up the platforms, rather than cultivating intellectual fruit. Some emerging civil think tanks have strong financial support, but their research is not well targeted, and their channels to reach senior decision-makers are comparatively limited compared with their counterparts with a government background. Besides, the Intellectual Property Rights protection of research results is poor, and some outstanding scholars and researchers do not have enough room to use their talents.

The question is how to promote the transformation of the international strategy institutes into a new type of think tank.

First they must reform their organizational structures and management models according to the requirements of modern think tanks, and orientate their research to the purpose of serving the government's policymaking and decision-making.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by the Chinese government to foster common development and regional interconnectivity, are a hot research subject for Chinese think tanks, but there are too many macroscopic interpretations. What the decision-makers desperately need is research supported by data in specific areas, such as logistics, security and culture. The new type of think tanks should find their positions and adapt their research to the new situations at home and abroad to meet the practical needs of decision-makers.

Second, the think tank scholars should have strong confidence in what they do, high morality, a strong professional foundation and broad global outlook. They should apply rigorous and objective methods in their research. Their studies should be based on data obtained from practice, and their studies should have practical outcomes.

The decision-makers also need to change their mentalities and actively establish channels between the government and the think tanks. The government should take an inclusive and open attitude to encourage the think tanks to find professional talents or leading scholars. The government can make use of digital technology to form a collaboration network connecting domestic and overseas think tanks, organize the think tanks to make domestic and international communication plans, and publish the research of think tanks.

It will take a long time and tremendous efforts to build modern international strategy think tanks, and their value can only be realized by serving the country's decision-making and the people.

The author is chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

(China Daily 04/18/2015 page5)

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