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As COVID-19 continues to spread through communities around the world, Asian countries that had been on the front lines of combatting the virus have also been the first to navigate the reviving of their societies and economies. Cities and economic sectors have confronted similar challenges with varying levels of success. What best practices have been learned from reopening in East and Southeast Asian cities that can be replicated elsewhere? How have policymakers balanced the need for continued social distancing with the urgency of economic revitalization?

On Friday, May 15, the John L. Thornton China Center and Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings will convene a webinar featuring experts from Asian cities and economic sectors to discuss their experiences with efforts to ease social restrictions and reopen economies. Brookings President John R. Allen will offer opening remarks, followed by two panels providing perspectives from cities — Hanoi, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei — and economic sectors — digital commerce, travel and hospitality, manufacturing and trade, and service and retail — on reopening amidst COVID-19. Following the conversation, panelists will take questions from the audience.

 AGENDA Welcome and opening remarks 9:00 AM - 9:05 AM John Allen John R. Allen President, The Brookings Institution 

Panel 1 Perspectives from Cities 9:05 AM - 10:15 AM Jonathan Stromseth, Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies; Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, John L. Thornton China Center MODERATOR Jonathan Stromseth Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian StudiesSenior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center for East Asia Policy Studies, John L. Thornton China Center MODERATOR Cheng Li Director - John L. Thornton China CenterSenior Fellow - Foreign Policy L Lai I-chung President - The Prospect Foundation  Nguyen John N. Hazard Fellow - U.S.-Asia Law Institute, New York University School of Law D Dae-Joong Lee Director of Development Finance - Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance 

Session 2 Perspectives from Sectors 10:15 AM - 11:30 AM MODERATOR David Dollar Senior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, John L. Thornton China Center davidrdollar MODERATOR Mireya Solís Director - Center for East Asia Policy StudiesSenior Fellow - Foreign Policy, Center for East Asia Policy StudiesPhilip Knight Chair in Japan Studies solis_msolis K Kai-Fu Lee Chairman and CEO - Sinovation Ventures L Larry Lee Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs - JD.com J Jane Sun CEO - Trip.com Group