Recently, the 2026 China-ASEAN Scholars' Dialogue was held at the Gulou Campus of Nanjing University. The event was hosted by the Collaborative Innovation Center for South China Sea Studies (CICSCS) at Nanjing University and co-organized by the School of International Studies, Nanjing University.

Distinguished attendees included: Maubere Lorosae da Silva Horta, Ambassador of Timor-Leste to China; Datuk Rear Admiral Yusni bin Haji Mokhtar, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Defence and Security Studies (IDSSS), Malaysia; Mr. Anoulak Kittikhoun, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Laos and former Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat; Tan Sri Jawhar Hassan, former Chairman and Chief Executive of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia; Mr. Wang Xiaolong, Counselor of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; and Mr. Xu Bu, former Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN and former President of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). Together, they engaged in two days of comprehensive and in-depth discussions on topics including the prospects for China-ASEAN maritime cooperation.

The opening ceremony and keynote session were chaired by Professor Zhu Feng, Dean of the School of International Studies and Executive Director of the CICSCS, Nanjing University. In his opening remarks, Mr. Xu Bu noted that the conference, grounded in the current international landscape, explored ways to enhance mutual political trust and economic cooperation in the region. He emphasized that the concept of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind aligns with the development needs of neighboring countries and serves as a vital foundation for consolidating state cooperation and maintaining regional peace.

During the keynote session, experts and scholars delivered in-depth analyses on topics including the evolution of China-US relations, shifts in the international order, the security situation in the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN regional cooperation, the diplomatic strategies of small states, and the development of China-ASEAN relations.

In the subsequent sub-forums and roundtable sessions, participants analyzed the current situation and assessed challenges from political, security, economic, and legal perspectives, offering a range of constructive policy recommendations for deepening China-ASEAN relations. Attendees also participated in two high-level roundtable dialogues. Professor Zhu Feng delivered the closing summary.

The China-ASEAN Scholars' Dialogue is a flagship international academic exchange platform established by the CICSCS at Nanjing University, dedicated to fostering regular communication between Chinese and ASEAN think tank scholars. The successful convening of this year's dialogue further demonstrated the unique role of academic exchange in maintaining regional stability and deepening practical cooperation, and was highly praised by all Chinese and foreign participants.

Writer: Liu Fangyu

Editor: Ma Chunyu