The first stage of the conference was hosted by SISU’s Vice President Feng Qinghua. SISU University Council Chair Jiang Feng pointed out in his speech that the advent of the era of artificial intelligence requires that SISU combine language with other disciplines, and take advantage of SISU’s language majors to develop new disciplines. He emphasized, in particular, on the importance of political science. According to him, the successful application of major project of NSSFC owes a lot to the support and trust from relevant parties and academic circles. Then, Zhao Jianguo, director-general of the International Publicity Bureau of the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee, introduced in his speech the ongoing study on the foreign discourse system carried out by the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee. He also expressed his willingness to deepen the cooperation with the research team and the experts present at the meeting. In his speech, Luan Jianzhang, director-general of the Research Office of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee believed that the study itself was of great significance and was an extraordinary attempt. It is of great value in terms of theory, policy and strategy, and should be carried out to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and make great contributions to the world. Li Anfang, director of Shanghai Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science, first expressed his congratulations to the project team with Professor Guo Shuyong as the chief expert, and said that the Planning Office would strive to support the research.

Yang Jiemian, president of Shanghai Society of International Relations and chairman of the Academic Affairs Council of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Qin Hong, counselor of the Policy Planning Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and SISU University Council Chair Jiang Feng unveiled the "Research Center of China Diplomacy in the New Era"  of SISU. After the unveiling ceremony, Professor Yang Jiemian made a speech on the significance of the establishment of the Center.

The third stage was presided over by Li Mingcan, research consultant of the Office of Theory of the Publicity Department of CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Cao Yongxin, research fellow of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and executive associate editor-in-chief of Theories of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping; Sun Zhenhai, deputy editor of Global Review, and Cheng Yawen, deputy editor of International Review  introduced their journals respectively and expressed their expectations of institutionalized cooperation with the project team to better promote the results of the project.

Later, Professor Wang Youyong, director of Office of Research Affairs of SISU, presided over the report session and the discussion session.  Chief expert of the project Professor Guo Shuyong introduced the the overall framework and the expected goals of the project, and the team coordination mechanism. Then, heads of sub-projects, Cao Yongxin, Ren Xiao, Liu Hongsong, and Luan Jianzhang reported on the research plan of the sub-projects. The experts at the meeting, Professor Yang Jiemian, president of Shanghai Society of International Relations, Professor Gong Li, former director of the International Strategy Department of Party school of CPC Central Committee, Qin Hong, counselor of the Policy Planning Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Professor Chen Yugang, executive vice director of the Publicity Department of Fudan University Council, Professor Su Changhe, executive dean of School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, Research Fellow Zhang Xiaomeng, associate dean of the School of Marxism Studies of Renmin University of China, and Research Fellow Zheng Liping, deputy director of Department of Theories with Chinese Characteristics Studies, Research Centre for Social Sciences Development in HEIs, Ministry of Education, spoke and carried out in-depth discussion on the overall research plan, design of the sub-projects, funding guarantee, cooperation mechanism, and promotion of the research results.