On 21-22 July 2016, NISCSS President Wu Shicun attended the third conference under the program entitled "Partnership for Regional Peace: Operationalising ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Southeast Asia", which was co-organized in Singapore by the NISCSS, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) of Nanyang Technological University.

There were over 100 participants, including scholars and officials from China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand as well as observers from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India and Chinese Taiwan.

In his opening speech, Wu stressed that Chinese South China Sea policy will not be influenced by the so-called "arbitration tribunal’s ruling". China will continue to be committed to maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the South China Sea, and finding a peaceful solution to the disputes through consultation and negotiation. The ASEAN’s unity, independence and neutrality in South China Sea issues are in the interests of both China and the ASEAN.

The "Partnership for Regional Peace" program was initiated by the NISCSS and the CSIS Indonesia in 2015. It is one of the key projects sponsored by China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund. It is designed to facilitate the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), deepen maritime cooperation, and promote China-ASEAN mutual trust and Track-II exchanges. The first two conferences under this program were respectively held in Jakarta in September 2015 and in Haikou in January 2016.

At this conference, the participants conducted further discussion concerning the four panels, including the legal principles in maritime domain, confidence building, crisis management and preventive diplomacy. The final version of the project report will be submitted to the governments of China and ASEAN countries.

Counsellor Wang Jinfeng from the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of Chinese foreign ministry was also invited to attend this conference.