CDI has been designated as one of the 25 China Top Think Tanks in a pilot project of the Chinese government since 2015.

List of the 25 China Top Think Tanks:

Development Research Center of the State Council
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese Academy of Engineering
Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C
Chinese Academy of Governance
Central Compilation & Translation Bureau
Xinhua News Agency
Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
National Defence University PLA China
National Institute for Finance & Development
National Institute for Global Strategy, CASS
China Institute of Contemporary International Relations
Academy of Macroeconomic Research, NDRC
Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, MOFCOM
National School of Development, PKU
Center for China Studies, Tsinghua University
National Academy of Development Strategy, RUC
China Institute, Fudan University
Wuhan University Institute of International Law 
Institute of Guangdong Hong Kong and Macao Development Studies, Sun Yat-sen University
Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute
China Center for International Economic Exchanges
China Development Institute