During the meeting, the two sides explored prospects for research-based and analytical collaboration between two institutions and outlined potential areas of cooperation. These include expert visits, joint research projects, the exchange of analytical publications, and professional exchange programs in the fields of international relations and regional studies.

President Chen emphasized that Central Asia remains a key priority in China's foreign policy agenda and underscored the importance of deepening dialogue with the region’s leading research institutions. He also expressed strong support for the "Central Asia Plus" platform, describing it as a constructive mechanism for expanding international cooperation.

For his part, IICA Director Javlon Vakhabov conveyed interest in establishing regular expert exchanges and emphasized the value of strengthening professional linkages between the two think tanks.

The meeting concluded with a formal signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between IICA and SIIS—marking the beginning of an official partnership between the institutions and opening new opportunities for academic engagement.

The Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS) is one of China’s leading think tanks, providing strategic research and policy advice to national and regional government authorities on foreign policy and international affairs.