[4][5]: 93  A 2011 report by the Open Source Enterprise stated, "CICIR appears to have a close relationship with the University of International Relations in Beijing, with nearly half of the organization's senior leadership — including President Cui Liru and Director of the CICIR Institute of American Studies Yuan Peng — having either taught or studied at the school.

"[6] The University of International Relations was founded in 1949 to train foreign affairs cadres for the newly created People's Republic of China.

[7] In 1964, then-Premier Zhou Enlai ordered the creation of colleges and university departments to focus on international affairs.

The University of International Relations was formally affiliated with the Ministry of Public Security in 1965, and was charged with training intelligence agents for the Central Investigation Department (both predecessors to the MSS) and for Xinhua News Agency.

According to Stratfor, "training for most MSS officers begins at the Beijing [campus of the] University of International Relations.