Centre on Contemporary China and the World Celebrates Launch with Inaugural Conference “A Renewed Hub and a New Horizon”

The one-day event brought together an impressive group of speakers and provided venues for scientific exchange among participants. The conference began with the welcome speech delivered by Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU; Professor Li Cheng, founding director of CCCW; and Mr. Cheung Kwok-kwan, Deputy Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR.

“Here at HKU, we firmly believe that our academics and students must build on Hong Kong’s unique positioning as China’s most internationalized, open and globally connected city. Drawing on Eastern and Western methodologies, highlighting discourses from the South and the North, scholars from across disciplines will come together at this center to conduct impactful research on China’s governance and the country’s foreign relations. in a rapidly changing world,” said Professor Zhang.

“This gathering demonstrates the collaborative efforts needed to establish the CCCW and make our vision of a global center for the study of Chinese and global governance a reality,” added Professor Li. “Collectively, we will be able to leverage Hong Kong’s distinguished position to advance studies in five key areas: scientific and technological transformation; climate change and alternative energies; economic and financial reforms; political leadership and generational transition; and the changing geopolitical landscape, with emphasis placed on Sino-US relations. »

“Hong Kong can serve as a key lever in the next phase of Sino-US relations and, more broadly, East-West and South-North interactions. And the CCCW, which draws on a foundation in HKU, is strategically positioned to serve as an institutional home for interdisciplinary and international collaboration. Let us seize this opportunity with a shared vision that Hong Kong plays a central role in revitalizing and strengthening the ties that extend across the Pacific and beyond, enabling us to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities,” noted Mr. Cheung.

Dynamic panel discussions held during the inaugural one-day seminar covered a wide range of topics, including global-local cooperation on climate change; Pursuing peace: managing Sino-American relations; Economic recovery: China and the world; Public health in an active aging society; In the age of security: geopolitics; and Global Governance and Mutual Learning: Sinology in Asia and Europe. Each panel included experts who shared their distinct perspectives.

The conference concluded with a fireside chat between Professor Jeffrey Lehman, Vice-Chancellor of New York University Shanghai, and Professor Richard Wong, Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of HKU, discussing “ interpersonal and educational exchanges in Sino-US relations. ”