On 5 August 2016, NISCSS President Wu Shicun met with an eight-member delegation of American Foreign Policy Council,which was led by Richard McCormack, former Under Secretary of State of the United States. The two sides exchanged views on the South China Sea arbitration, U.S. military activities in the South China Sea and other hot issues.

Three members of the NISCSS research staff made reports on dispute management in the South China Sea, the South China Sea policy of the U.S. as well as China-U.S. military cooperation and confidence building.

Also present at the meeting were Director General Wang Sheng of the Foreign Affairs Office of Hainan Province, Deputy Director General Zhou Rongguo of the Seventh Bureau of the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, Deputy Director General Tan Lilin of the Policy Research Office of CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and Deputy Director General Chen Jianjiao of the Foreign Affairs Office of Hainan Province.