Maritime Strategies of the US and Other Asia-Pacific Countries is an eight-volume book series, initiated by the SIAS and published by the Current Affairs Press. It took over two years to complete the compilation. The SIAS is honored that the general preface for the book series was written by Rear Admiral Yang Yi, former Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University.

On December 16, 2016, the SIAS held a Maritime Strategy Forum in celebration of the book launch. SIAS President Wu Xinbo chaired the meeting. Yan Shuang, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Party Secretary of Shanghai Federation of Social Science Associations, delivered a speech. 

At the first of two sessions, representatives from the SIAS and Current Affairs Press introduced the purpose of the project. Guest speakers from the PLA University of International Relations, PLA Academy of Military Science, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Renmin University of China, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University and the organization committee of the National Strategy Forum, confirmed the added value of the books in current strategic knowledge sharing. 

This is China’s first comprehensive work on the maritime strategies of the US, Russia, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, India and Australia, with details on these countries’ maritime security, marine management, marine economy, ocean protection, marine education, marine culture, marine diplomacy and related international politics. 

In the second session the attendees discussed topical subjects, such as maritime strategies of Asia-Pacific countries, the South China Sea issue, and marine management and politics. Participants came from various organizations including Peking University, Renmin University of China, National Marine Information Center, National Institute for South China Sea Studies, PLA University of International Relations, Fudan University, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University and East China University of Political Science and Law. 

A number of officials sent their congratulations on the publication of the book series, including Li Zhaoxing, former Foreign Minister and President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, and Yu Hongjun, former Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Peace and Disarmament. Both spoke highly of the academic and practical values of the books.

The books also received quite favorable reviews from many esteemed scholars including Yang Jiemian, Director of the Academic Committee of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, and Professor Feng Shaolei, President of the School of Advanced International and Area Studies at East China Normal University.