The AIIA hosted an intimate invitation-only dialogue on South China Sea issues between a visiting delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Australian academics.The delegation included:

• Ambassador Chen Shiqiu, former Permanent Representative and Ambassador of China to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna and former Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia.
• Dr Ruan Zongze, Executive Vice President and senior fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.

With South China Sea issues very much in debate – and with a decision from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Republic of Philippines v. The People’s Republic of China reached just two days prior to the visit – there was benefit in frank discussion and sharing of Australian and Chinese perspectives on these issues.