On April 24, 2017, SIIS President Chen Dongxiao met with Mr. Gubaz Sanikidze, former Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia. The two sides exchanged ideas on Middle East affairs etc. Prof. Ye Qing, Assistant President of SIIS, Prof. Li Xin, Prof. Qiang Xiaoyun, Ms. Qian Zongqi from the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Prof. Li Weijian and Prof. Jin Liangxiang from the Center for West Asian & African Studies participated in the discussion.