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Professor CHUNG Joonkon: Towards a New Community: Its Necessity & Meaning (2025/10/22)

The third lecture in the series “Encounters in the Old World, East and West: From a Transdisciplinary Perspective” was held online via ZOOM on October 22. The event featured Professor CHUNG Joonkon, Senior Researcher at the Eurasia Foundation (from Asia), who delivered a talk titled “Towards a New Community: Its Necessity and Meaning.” The session was presided over by Professor DIAO Xiaolong, Assistant Professor from Faculty of Chinese Culture and Global Communication, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University.

The lecture primarily examines the political and social changes occurring in East Asia, with a particular focus on the multifaceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region. The speaker begins by analyzing the current state of political competition in East Asia, illustrating the complex interactions among various countries and communities. They explore how political power dynamics are shifting in response to international and regional developments. Moreover, the lecture emphasizes the growing significance of cultural diversity and community inclusiveness within East Asian societies and stresses the importance of a multi-dimensional approach that integrates historical, economic, and social perspectives to better understand the evolving situation.

Significantly, the lecture delves into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting how it has transformed everyday life, policymaking, and public health infrastructure. The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and remote working trends but has also exposed governance weaknesses and contradictions across East Asian states. These challenges bring new questions regarding social stability and sustainable development in the region. The speaker advocates for balancing social stability with proactive innovation and reform efforts.

In conclusion, the lecture argues that only through comprehensive and diverse viewpoints can one fully grasp the dynamic developments within East Asia. It offers valuable theoretical insights and practical references for understanding the political and social contexts of East Asia amid the pandemic era, providing meaningful contributions to both academia and policymaking circles.

Lecture Review:

HKBUtube: https://hkbutube.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/inner.php?id=BTS-101255