Is this the end of the golden age of Chinese think tanks with star ex-officials?

During the past decade, Chinese think tanks have had the best of two worlds – having the backing of the government while having some room to move outside it.

Encouraged by the country’s leadership to promote China’s soft power, the sector has grown in influence as retired officials have come on board, bringing expertise, connections and some freedom.

Not unlike their Western counterparts, these institutes have come to play major roles in Track 2 diplomacy and policy recommendations.

But two recent episodes involving once high-profile think tanks raise uncertainty over whether that model can continue.

In both cases, retired officials at those institutes have come under a cloud in the national anti-corruption campaign, suggesting that these connections could turn out to be a double-edged sword, according to observers.

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That uncertainty rose last month when the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) quietly released a statement announcing that a Beijing-based public policy think tank would be transferred to come under its administration.

South China Morning Post