EAI Conference
Managing a Rapidly Changing World:
Perspectives from China, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia
Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Conference Agenda (Click to View)
East and Southeast Asia stand at a pivotal moment, facing geopolitical tensions, rapid technological shifts, evolving supply chains, and profound demographic changes. These forces test the region’s economic resilience and social cohesion, while also presenting new opportunities, including for increased cooperation.
Against this backdrop, this conference brings together stakeholders from governments, academia as well as the public and private sectors to chart pathways towards more resilience, deeper regional integration, stronger economic partnerships, and more inclusive growth.
| Date: | Tuesday, 23 September 2025 |
| Time: | 9.30am – 5.15pm
Registration starts at 9.00am |
| Venue: | Royal Pavilion Ballroom II Level 1, Conrad Singapore Orchard 1 Cuscaden Rd Singapore 249715 |
Registrations for the conference have closed. Please contact katherine.toh@nus.edu.sg if you have any enquiries about the event.
Agenda
| Time & Event | Speakers/Chairs |
| 9:30 am
Welcome Remarks |
Prof Alfred SCHIPKE, Director, East Asian Institute; Professor of the Practice of International Finance, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS |
| 9:35 am
Introduction |
Dr TEH Kok Peng, Chairman, East Asian Institute, NUS |
| 9:45 am
Keynote Addresses |
• H.E. CAO Zhongming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Singapore
• H.E. ISHIKAWA Hiroshi, Ambassador of Japan to Singapore • H.E. HONG Jin-wook, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Singapore |
| 10:15 am
Group Photo & Coffee Break |
|
| 10:35 am
Panel One: Enhancing Trilateral Cooperation and Southeast Asian Engagement in an Uncertain World
|
Chair: Prof Barry DESKER, Distinguished Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies; and Nanyang Professor of Practice, Nanyang Technological University Panellists: • Prof YANG Yue, Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute of Asian Studies, • Prof Akio TAKAHARA, Distinguished Visiting Professor, Tokyo Woman’s Christian • Prof SHEEN Seong-Ho, Dean of Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul • Dr OOI Kee Beng, Executive Director, Penang Institute; and Visiting Senior Fellow, |
| 12:00 pm
Lunch Break |
|
| 1:30 pm
Panel Two: Navigating Global Uncertainty — The Role of Business (Chatham House rule applies) |
Chair: Prof Alfred SCHIPKE, Director, East Asian Institute; Professor of the Practice of International Finance, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS
Panellists: • Mr Hirotaka ISHIZAKA, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mitsubishi Corporation • Dr Kevin LU, Partner and Chairman of Asia, Partners Group • Ms Cherie NURSALIM, Vice Chairman, Giti Group • Mr Salem GHANDOUR, Senior Vice President, Institutional and Government • Mr KOK Ping Soon, CEO, Singapore Business Federation |
| 3:00 pm
Coffee & Networking Break |
|
| 3:30 pm
Panel Three: Ageing and Migration in East Asia — Implications for Jobs, Skills, and Economic Growth (Chatham House rule applies) |
Chair: Prof Elaine HO, Provost’s Chair Professor at the Department of Geography; and Research Leader of the Migration and Mobilities Cluster at the Asia Research Institute,NUSPanellists: • Prof LU Jiehua, Professor, School of Population and Health, Renmin University • Dr Nana OISHI, Associate Professor of Japanese Studies, The University of • Dr Woorim KO, Research Associate Professor, Population Policy Research Center, SNU • Dr PARK Donghyun, Economic Advisor, Economic Research and Development • Dr ZHAO Litao, Senior Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, NUS |
| 5:00 pm
Closing Remarks |
Dr LAM Peng Er, Head of Korea Centre; Principal Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, NUS |
