On 7 February 2015, the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) held an international academic conference on building the maritime silk road in the 21^st century in Haikou. There were over 80 participants, including officials, think-tank scholars and journalists from China, the United States, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and Chinese Taiwan. The four panels of the conference were “regional cooperation in the South China Sea and maritime silk road in the 21^st century", "China-ASEAN relations and maritime silk road in the 21^st century ", “role of Chinese coastal provinces and maritime silk road in the 21^st century” and “the opportunities and challenges facing the maritime silk road in the 21^st century”. The participants conducted a candid and in-depth discussion about the background, connotations and significance of the maritime silk road as well as the challenges that may arise.

      NISCSS President Wu Shicun pointed out that to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road in the 21st Century (“One Belt and One Road”) is an important initiative put forward by the Chinese government based on the present while looking ahead to the future. It is in the interests of relevant parties concerned and is designed to bolster all-around cooperation between China and the countries along the belt and the road in terms of interconnectivity, economy, trading and other areas. President Wu also remarked that in order to build “One Belt and One Road”, China should deal with five issues, including the spirit of the times facing a big power, implementation mechanism, risk assessment, the relationship with other existing cooperation mechanisms, the relationship between the central and local governments as well as between different local governments.

      Director-General Ouyang Yujing of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs at Chinese foreign ministry and Director Zheng Yongnian of East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore delivered keynote speeches respectively entitled “Maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and work together to build the maritime silk road in the 21st century” and “Silk road and the strategy to rebalance global economic increment”.

      This conference came when China-ASEAN maritime cooperation is increasingly deepened and the initiative to build “One Belt and One Road” is being advanced. The participants reached consensus on the significance of this initiative and thought that the maritime silk road in the 21st century will play a positive role in maintaining regional peace and stability. It is believed that the success of the conference will promote the implementation of the initiative and facilitate the exchanges and cooperation between China and the countries along the belt and the road.