On June 30, 2017, Maj. Gen. Apisak Sombutcharoennon, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defense Studies Institute (Thailand) led a group to visit SIIS. SIIS President Chen Dongxiao and Prof. Yang Jiemian, chairman of SIIS Academic Affairs Council met with Maj. Gen. Apisak Sombutcharoennon respectively. The two sides had a discussion on current situation in the Asia-Pacific, China-Thailand relations, Thailand and the “Belt and Road” initiative, South China Sea issue etc. Prof. Wu Chunsi, director of the Institute for International Strategic Studies, Dr. Zhou Shixin and Dr. Feng Shuai attended the meeting.