A Review of the Symposium 'Globalization in a Post-COVID World: Retreat or Revival?

• Author: Suqing Yu
• Pages: 1-3

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A Review of the Symposium

“Globalization in a Post-COVID World: Retreat or Revival?”

Opening Remarks1

Suqing Yu

Good morning, honored professors and dear friends. It’s my great pleasure to greet all

distinguished professors and young friends online, on behalf of the School of Foreign Studies

of East China University of Political Science and Law. I really appreciate all the great efforts

from FLIA, Foundation for Law and International Affairs. As we all know, COVID-19 has

inflamed the debate about the future of globalization, rising protectionism, and populism. Now,

as contagion and equipment shortages grow, it seems as though interconnectedness itself is

under attack. The pandemic has shown how deeply in time all of our faiths are. It is also a

wake-up call to the vulnerabilities in the global system. But we must judge the problem

correctly if we are to find the right remedy. The problem with the globalized world is not in

the connectedness, but a lack of resilience which is the ability to cope with changes and shocks.

Interconnection brings us great benefits and can be a source of resilience if well figured. The

early Internet was designed as a communication network, able to survive a nuclear attack.

Groups or networks for trade, migration, finance, and information grow ever larger and more

complex. This creates prosperity, but the risk is not offset by prudent planning or acts to create

a global governance mechanism. COVID-19 has again shown the fragility of the global system,

but globalization and a shuttling supply chain are now simply desirable, not possible. We must

build a more resilient form of globalization, one that retains the benefits of interconnectedness

while enhancing safeguards and response capabilities, so that we can be ready for the next big

challenge. At this moment, the School of Foreign Studies of East China University of Political

Science and Law collaborates with Foundation for Law and International Affairs to hold this

symposium to explore possible paths towards constructing the future and enough framework

of globalization. I believe this meeting will surely bring new vitality and opportunities to the

academic development in global governance, international law and language studies together

with all my colleagues from the School of Foreign Studies. I wish this conference a big success.

Thank you!

(By Suqing Yu, Dean and Professor of School of Foreign Studies, East China University

of Political Science and Law).

Larry Backer

Colleagues and dear friends, I’m delighted to be able to welcome you to this exciting

international symposium on globalization in a post-pandemic world. I want to especially praise

the Foundation for Law and International Affairs and the School of Foreign Studies of East

China University of Political Science and Law for their innovative and forward-thinking

approaches that make this conference possible. I add my personal thanks to Shaoming Zhu.

I’ve known her for more years than I can remember whose, work on behalf of the Foundation

for Law and International Affairs.

1 This content was transcribed by Qianhan Qian from East China University of Political Science and Law.