By Li Yaokun, Research Team on “The Innovative Development of New-Type Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era”, Institute of Public Administration and Human Resources, DRC

Research Report, Special Issue, No.54, 2019 (Total 1682) 2019-8-5

Abstract: As one of the major strategic decisions made by the CPC Central Committee in the new era, the construction of new-type think tanks with Chinese characteristics has further brought into play the Party’s and government’s functions in pursuing a more scientific and democratic way of decision-making in accordance with the law while pushing ahead with the modernization of national governance system and governance capacity. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the construction of think tanks has achieved sound results in various aspects, but it needs to be noted that there are some problems to be solved. For example, the classification management remains to be strengthened, the quality of policy-making consultancy needs to be improved, the structure of researching staff waits to be optimized, the system guarantee is to be shored up and the international exchanges need to be advanced in wider areas and at higher levels. To push ahead with the high-quality development of think tanks, some policy options are proposed as follows. Think tanks’ governance system needs to be enhanced through improving the top-level arrangement of high-quality development of think tanks; the policy-making consultancy results need to correspond to the economic and social issues and the functions of think tanks relating to decision-making consultancy need to be intensified in an effective manner; the administrative system of think tanks needs to be refined in order to give full scope to their role as a platform focusing on major issues of overarching importance; the structure of think tanks’ research personnel needs to be consummated, high-calibre personnel need to be introduced and brain circulation mechanism needs to be optimized; think tanks’ research funds need to be ensured and the capital structure and motivation mechanism need to be innovated; the platform for the sharing of research findings needs to be fleshed out and the quality of research results for both the government and non-government departments need to be enhanced; the diplomatic capacity of think tanks needs to be raised so as to enable them to make more international exchange and cooperation and gain a bigger say in world affairs.

Key words: think tanks’ construction, decision-making consultancy system, governance modernization