Policy Dialogue Series | The Still Unending Pandemic: Need for a policy breakthrough?

The ‘Policy Dialogue Series’ has entered its fifth annual series. This year, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, Professor Lui Tai-lok and other speakers will continue to explore critical issues and public policy challenges facing Hong Kong.

In the coming sessioins, entitled ‘The Still Unending Pandemic: Need for a policy breakthrough?’, the speakers will share their insights into the topic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted much longer than most people expected when it first broke out in early 2020. The World Health Organization chief recently said that "We are not there yet, but the end is in sight." (14 September 2022). While scepticism and uncertainly remain as to how soon that end will come, most countries are making their way back to normal; borders are reopened, and social restrictions lifted for the sake of economic revival. Hong Kong is caught in a conundrum where its Covid regime seems neither here nor there-not stringent enough for reopening to the mainland and too stringent for reconnecting to the world. A policy breakthrough is needed otherwise the city risks losing its vibrancy and international competitiveness. Hence the newly relaxed "0+3" requirement for inbound visitors is a much-welcomed step forward. But is it enough? Is an endgame in sight?

The dialogue series is co-organised by the Department of Asian and Policy Studies (APS) and the Academy of Hong Kong Studies at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), and the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Speakers:

• Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung（張炳良教授）
  • Adjunct Research Chair Professor of Public Administration, APS, EdUHK
  • Adjunct Professor of HKUST
  • Former President (2008-12), EdUHK (before retitling)
  • Former Secretary for Transport and Housing (2012-17), HKSARG

• Professor Lui Tai-lok （呂大樂教授）
  • Chair Professor of Hong Kong Studies, EdUHK
  • Director, Academy of Hong Kong Studies and Centre for Greater China Studies, EdUHK

• Professor Donald Low （劉浩典教授）
  • Senior Lecturer and Professor of Practice, Institute of Public Policy, HKUST

Moderator: 

• Professor Naubahar Sharif 
  • Professor and Acting Head, PPOL, HKUST