The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) joined the "East China Sea and Yellow Sea Studies Think-tank Alliance" on December 21, 2018, following a signing ceremony in Beijing attended by Dr. Atsushi Sunami, Executive Director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and President of OPRI-SPF.

Dr. Sunami noted the importance of having think-tanks in China, Japan, and South Korea – three of the most critical East Asian countries – to join in an academic cooperative relationship relating to the oceans, reflecting the excellent external environment on China’s 40th anniversary of the launch of its “reform and opening up” economic policy. In addition, he mentioned that OPRI-SPF is looking forward to working with the other members in an effort to establish ocean governance in East Asia.

In response, Dr. Zhang Haiwen, Director-General of the China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA), State Oceanic Administration (SOA), mentioned the 10th Round of High-Level Consultations on Maritime Affairs that took place from December 17-18, 2018, in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, east China, and welcomed the quick action that was taken following the results of the Consultations, which called for further advancement of cooperation and dialogue between Chinese and Japanese think-tanks working on ocean and maritime issues.

The “East China Sea and Yellow Sea Studies Think-tank Alliance” was established in November 2017 as a network of ocean and maritime research institutes in East Asia under the initiative of the China Institute for Marine Affairs, SOA, based on the idea for creation of an “East Asia Maritime Cooperation Platform” raised by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Ninth East Asia Summit in 2014. The Alliance has the objective of creating a Track-2 level cooperation platform for ocean and maritime research institutes in the coastal countries and regions of the East China Sea and Yellow Sea, promoting communication among them, and making efforts on various ocean and maritime related issues in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea.

As of December 2018, the Alliance includes the following nine research institutions:

1. China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA) of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA)
2. China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR)
3. Institute of Japanese Studies, China Academy of Social Sciences
4. Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, China Academy of Social Sciences
5. Research Center for the Marine Development of China, Ocean University of China
6. Shangdong Ocean Economy Culture Studies Institute
7. Korea Maritime Institute (KMI)
8. Ningbo University
9. Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF)