Experts call for robust think tanks

China urgently needs to create a group of high-level think tanks to conduct high-quality research to support China's interaction and cooperation with the world, experts say.

A conference - Chinese Think Tanks Gobal Influence 2017 - was hosted in Beijing on Jan 9, with more than 300 experts attedning.

Liu Wei, president of Renmin University of China, said that with China playing an ever-greater role in global economic governance, and exerting greater influence on the global economic order, its think thanks should expand their areas of research.

"This asks think tanks to strengthen their cooperation and boost the development of the think tank sector, so that they will have more say and influence in the international world, and also better explain China's development experience to the world," Liu said.

Jin Xin, director of the China Center for Contemporary World Studies, said that Chinese think tanks have enjoyed good timing and seized many opportunities up to now, but to increase their global influence they need to put the focus on increasing the quality of research results, and strengthen their international communication.

Long Guoqiang, vice-president of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that at present, many countries - especially developing countries - are showing great interest in China's experiences, and it is the think tanks' responsibility to summarize those experiences and share them with the world.