Bridging Eastern and Western Values for Good Governance

The COVID-19COVID-19 pandemic, lasting for at least two years, has had far-reachingFan, Ruiping 范瑞平 consequences, causing immense death andKim, Sungmoon suffering while also significantly hindering academicHong Kong exchanges and conversations. The social control measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus, such as travel restrictions and lockdowns, created immense challenges for scholars to gather and engage in face-to-face conversations. These limitations hindered a free flow of ideas and inhibited intellectual exchange, thus undermining academic progress and cross-cultural understanding. Indeed, the negative impact of the pandemic extended beyond the immediate health crisis, generating a physical divide between the East and the West in terms of scholarly dialogues and discussions, which further developed into intellectual isolation.