Upon the invitation of the Academy of Ocean of China (AOC), NISCSS President Wu Shicun attended a workshop themed “Strategic Thinking of China as a Maritime Power” in Qingdao on 12 May 2018. In his keynote speech entitled “The Urgency of Developing Maritime Rules and Order: Lessons learned from the South China Sea”, President Wu elaborated on “four challenges” to the peace and stability of South China Sea as well as “five points” to characterize the status quo. He answered questions from other participants on related issues after the speech.

Co-hosted by the AOC and Shanghai Institute for Maritime Strategies, the Workshop is designed to discuss crucial issues of national ocean development, so as to bring up policy recommendations in a comprehensive and forward-looking manner. Prominent scholars and experts of ocean studies and International Relations were invited as guest speakers, including Wang Shuguang, former Administrator of the Chinese State Oceanic Administration, who currently serves as Director-General of the AOC. More than 130 participants were present at the workshop, including faculty and students of the Ocean University of China and fellows of related research institutes.