On the afternoon of January 25, 2016, the Symposium “Theory and Practice of International Law: Current Situation and Our Tasks”, organized by CASS Institute of International Law, was held in Beijing. Professor Liu Nanlai, an honorary CASS member and a member of the Advisory Committee on International Law of Chinese Foreign Ministry, was invited to give a lecture at the symposium. Professor Sun Shiyan, Head of Public International Law of CASS Institute of International Law, presided over the symposium and served as the commentator of the lecture. Over 20 researchers and students of CASS Institute of International Law attended the symposium. In his lecture, Professor Liu Nanlai, on the basis of his own experience of participating in the third meeting of the Advisory Committee on International Law of Chinese Foreign Ministry, introduced the participants to the hot and difficult issues in the field of international law theory and practice faced by China under the new situation and the new tasks undertaken by Chinese scholar in international law research. Next, Professor Sun Shiyan shared with the participants what he had learnt during his researches at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in the UK, especially the importance attached by top-level foreign think tanks to the research on Chinese issues and the important role played by international law in the diplomatic work. Finally, the participants of the symposium carried out in-depth discussions around such issues as the changes of China’s international status and of the states’ attitude towards international law; the status and role of international law in the Chinese system of the rule of law; legal examination of foreign policies; international investment and human rights protection, and the South China Sea Arbitration Case.