The top leadership has long recognized the important role of think tanks and encouraged their development. According to a "2013 Global Go to Think Tanks Report", released by the University of Pennsylvania at the beginning of this year, there are 426 think tanks in China, only the US with 1,828 has more.

However, while they have mushroomed in number, there is now a debate about the role of think tanks in China. While some believe that in order to be influential a think tank should serve the government and offer research results to official decision-makers, others insist that a think tank must remain independent of the government to be of use.

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The pro-government approach was derived from former Soviet Union, where most, if not all, of the think tanks were funded by the government to offer advice through secret channels. While it is easier for such think tanks to influence government policies, they often refrain from raising opinions contrary to the will of government leaders, as the government is their sponsor.

The independent approach is more like the situation in the US, where think tanks generally avoid being linked with the government. They are even proud of not agreeing with the government and often intentionally refuse funding from the government for that reason.

But while such think tanks might look more professional and independent, they would not work in China, as it lacks the large number of private or non-governmental foundations that offer support to US think tanks behind the scenes. It is hard to imagine Chinese think tanks surviving without any financial help from the government.

Thus Chinese think tanks must find a new approach. The debate on the development of think tanks in China is actually focused on the dilemma between "influence" and "independence": as policy advice providers, think tanks must be able to influence the government, but they have to be independent of it, too, to avoid becoming its subject. Reaching a balance between the two is the key to the development of think tanks in China.