Yan Anlin received his Ph.D. degree from the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Nanjing University in 1992. He once was the vice Executive Director and Professor of Shanghai Institute for Taiwan Studies, contributing Professor of the National Taiwan Research Association, Professor of the Research Centre for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, vice President of Shanghai Economic Association of Taiwan, Hongkong and Macao. General Secretary of the Association of Taiwan Studies in Shanghai, vice Director of the academic committee in Shanghai Institute for East Asia Studies, Professor of the East China University of Science and Technology. Prof. Yan receives Special Allowance from the State Council. 
 
Yan Anlin currently is the Professor and Director of Department of Cross-Straits Relations in Shanghai Institute for International Studies. He focuses on the study of Taiwan politics, Taiwan society and relations across the Taiwan Strait. Within the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), he has served as the special advisor of President Daohan Wang, and has participated in the central government’s policy-making towards Taiwan, such as the designing of Jiang Zemin’s Eight-point Proposal, Wang-Koo talks, one China syllogism, etc. He is the author of the following articles and books: Localization of Kuomintang’s Regime; The Context、Causes、Content and Influence of  the DPP’s reforming, the Elections in Taiwan; the Diplomacy of DPP, Taiwan Issue in the International Configuration, History of Kuomintang (It has four volumes, Prof. Yan is the co-author with others). Prof. Yan has directed and participated in several national programs, including Taiwan Issue and the Prospect of Reunification at the Turn of the Century, New Generations of Taiwan Local Politicians, Transformation of the DPP, Study of the Mainstream Public Opinions in Taiwan. He has translated the book of Local Politics in A Rural Chinese Setting: A Field Study of Mazu Township, Taiwan. Besides, Prof. Yan is the main editor of Shanghai Taiwan Research (from the first to the seventh volume), the Contemporary Taiwan Politics & Economic Relations across the Taiwan Strait, Collection of the Theses on Taiwan Politics and Cross-Straits Relations, Contemporary Taiwan Economy Dictionary, Contemporary Taiwan Biographical Dictionary, etc.