Two IIR directors of the 1980s, Chang King-yuh and Shao Yu-ming, became heads of the Government Information Office (GIO), after which they returned to the IIR. Thus the IIR was the first think tank in Taiwan to play the "revolving door" role. Later, IIR vice-director Su Chi entered the cabinet as vice-chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, after which he also became GIO director-general.
民國六○年代，國關中心主任吳俊才奉派為國民黨文工會主任；七○年代前後兩位主任張京育與邵玉銘先後出任新聞局長，後來兩人均再回國關中心出任主任，可說是台灣最早發揮旋轉門功能的智庫。