Assigned Blog #4: The Role of a Chinese Think Tank

In class we have been discussing the role of think tanks here in the U.S. in terms of policy influence and decision making. However, I was a bit more intrigued regarding the nature of the few think tanks that exist abroad and how their roles differ from those that we are learning about here in the U.S. policy world. Perhaps the most interesting finding from this investigation was stumbling upon a Chinese think tank that functions to influence policy, serve diplomatic informative functions, as well as act as an arm of the Chinese intelligence community.

The Chinese Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, or CICER, seems to be a very useful Chinese think tank despite having very different roles than what we are accustomed. A recent CIA study showed that in addition to its advisory role to the Communist Party, CICER also supports several agencies in providing intelligence reporting and close ties with the Chinese Ministry of State Secruity. One of the most unusual aspects of the article was the lack of concern of this dually purposed think tank. One U.S. intelligence officer was quoted as,

They are professional about what they do. They understand we need info on our side, and they need info on theirs. So when you put them against the Russians, the Indians, the Laotians, the Cambodians, or the Vietnamese, they are easier to work with . . . They will give very good background information and explain the dynamics behind party decisions.

This is surprising given the number of high ranking former and current U.S. official that have visit the think tank. Another interesting aspect of CICER’s research is how focused its work is towards the U.S. According to the report, about 60 percent of the institutes research efforts involve the U.S. in some facet.

In noting several of the key differences between U.S. think tank objectives and that of CICER, one could conclude that we are also gleaning some key information about the various ways in which our two countries approach policy in general. From our studies this semester, it seems that the U.S. policy as a whole is based on extensive topical research, debates, and nation goal establishment. In contrast, we have also seen that Chinese government and policy efforts appear to be focused on more intelligence-based, diplomatic initiatives. Additional examination would be necessary to see how accurate these correlations are, but on the surface it appears that think tanks here and in China can reveal key aspects of policy objectives as a whole.