I. Research Centers

1. Center for Oceans Law and Policy

Focusing on China’s sovereignty, security and development interests related to the South China Sea, the center conducts legal and policy research, including research on the settlement of disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, crisis management, theory and empirical evidence of the building of rules and order, South China Sea jurisprudence, engagement of public opinions and competitionfor international narrative, international ocean laws and State practices, and law, policy and practice of international ocean governance.

2. Center for South China Sea History and Culture

Making full use of historical documents, the center conducts research on the history and culture of the South China Sea, including research on sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and maritime rights and interests, historic rights, the dash line, and manuals of sea routes. It is responsible for building archives for the South China Sea islands in the Republic of China era, a historical database onmanuals of sea routes, and a specialized library to consolidate the chain of evidence in history and jurisprudence for the defense of rights to the South China Sea. It assistsThe Journal of South China Sea Studies in soliciting, reviewing, editing and publishingcontributions.

3. Center for Area Studies

Focusing on politics, economy, culture, diplomacy, military and other fields of countries inside and outside the South China Sea region, the center conducts regional and internationalstudies and builds a network to serve China’s overall diplomatic agenda.

4. Center for Maritime Silk Road and Security

The center conducts cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and in the South China Sea region as well as research on national maritime security strategy, medium- and long-term maritime development strategies and plans of neighboring countries, military deployment of countries in the South China Sea in the Asia-Pacific region, and the building of Hainan as an area to serve and support China’s major strategies.

5. Center for Public Diplomacy and Hainan Openness

Based on urgent national needs, the center conducts research on think-tank public diplomacy. Its research is multidisciplinary and cross-cutting, covering major issues on comprehensive deepening of reform and opening-up in Hainan as well as resource development, climate change, marine ecology,environment and resources in the South China Sea.

II. Administrative Departments

1. Department of International Exchanges and Academic Cooperation

It is responsible for developing plans for the NISCSSto conductdomestic and international academic exchanges and cooperation. It is responsible for planning and implementing domestic and international academic visits and trips, and for holding various domestic and international academic conferences. It conducts and expands cooperation projects with Chinese and overseas think tanks, governmental departments, international organizations and universities. It organizes and implementsmaritime training projects, and provides support to maritime and international events in Hainan.

2. Administrative Office

It is responsible for daily operation of the NISCSS, including secretariat, conference affairs, confidentiality, human resources, finance and assets, archive management, logistics and IT application. It coordinates efforts to build the NISCSS into a national high-level think tank and conduct research management.

Department of Party-related Affairs

It is responsible for Party building and discipline inspection, and leads the work of mass organizations in the NISCSS.