 Aloha and welcome to another episode of Talk Story with John Wahey. And as usual, I think we have another very interesting guest and topic for us to talk about this afternoon. I have with me the new president of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum. And this is Dr. Denise Conan. And she is also in addition to being the president of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum. She's also the dean at the University of Hawaii Manoa School of Social Sciences. College of Social Sciences. College of Social Sciences. I mean, this is a big deal. And so here she is today. And so welcome, dean, welcome Denise. Manoa, thank you, Governor. Congratulations on being the new president. Tell us a little bit about what the Northeast Asia Economic Development Forum is about or the Economic Forum as well. Thank you. Thank you, Governor. So, so yeah, the Northeast Asia Economic Forum has been around since 1991. We were just celebrating our 30th anniversary and the purpose of the forum. You know, it was it was founded by Dr. Lee J. Cho, who some of your viewers might might remember in different ways he was long affiliated with the East West Center he was a vice president at the East West Center and he was also director of their Institute for population studies for many years. The Northeast Asia Economic Forum, the real vision of it is that that region of China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Mongolia, and the United States, especially Hawaii and Alaska is so pivotal in economic terms, but traditionally there has also been a lot of political tensions in the region. And so the goal was to foster people to people dialogues over the continuity of time that all that contribute to economic development so where there may be disagreement around political issues, we can agree that we want to have economic cooperation. We can agree that we want prosperity for our people. We've been very successful with a number of different programs we can talk about. You know, it's, it's like that region. It's sort of pivotal, you know, it's like more than Asia in a way, as opposed to ASEAN in the South, but it has its own qualities and differences and expressions. Well, first of all, you got China in the mix, got the USA, which is going through its own relationship with the worries with China. You got Japan, a long time ally, you got Korea. And this forum, as I understand it, and as you explained, it seems, brings all of these diverse actors, including Alaska, by the way, and Russia, together in trying to work on neutral problems of mutual or trying to develop projects of mutual interest to everybody. Now, the forum was founded by Li Jieqiu, which you just mentioned, Dr. Li Jieqiu. Which, as you also mentioned, he was a long time member, a long time, I guess you would say, professor. He was a scholar at the East West Center. And it was his vision that somehow all of this, I guess, would, you know, ultimately it was about peace and prosperity. Correct, yes. The region and for Hawaii. And so, I know that one of the tools that he used to achieve that vision was he used to have these regular yearly conferences. That brought in people from all over these experts from all over from these from this entire region to discuss things together. So, give me a little bit about how that all works. Oh, I'll tell you, I'll tell you about that. So, well, first let me just say a little bit about Dr. Cho and his vision how that happened. I mean he, he is Korean ancestry, but was actually born in Japan during wartime. And he also had the experience with the Korean war as well, returned to Korea. He is fluent in multiple languages, Korean and Japanese, Japanese is his original tongue, Chinese and speak some Mongolian some Russian. So, his linguistic ability to communicate across these cultures was really amazing but his, his unders, and he is as you say he was a tremendous researcher in the area of population studies and I think his, his insight was important, that if, if people would know one another and be able to talk through some of the difficult issues that we have some of the complications and challenges that this would lead to more peace and economic prosperity and stability in the region and that Hawaii isn't this unique position that we can be a sort of a neutral broker for all these forces from the, even from the US from, from China, Japan, Korea, there's a, there's a way that we can bring our, you know, a neutrality to these hard discussions. And as you said, one of the core activities, two of the core activities that he did one was to run it. He launched a young leaders program that is very successful, and we must give a lot of credit to the Freeman Foundation for its continual support of this of the young leaders program. Tell us about that. Yeah, work and how people selected and what are some of the, some of the graduates. Well, it's exciting so the young leaders program is includes 25 to 30 leaders from the different countries. They're nominated by affiliates of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum and there there's also, there's a Asia Pacific Institute in in Korea. There's an Asia Pacific Institute in Japan. We have a similar organization in China. And so those organizations help to solicit really top emerging leaders to this program. These are, these are young people under the age of 40, and they come together for a 10 day experience in many different parts of the world we rotate around the region. And a benefit is that they're working together they're learning about the region, but also about some of the economic issues that are facing across across region all we bring in senior scholars to, to help with this. And the experience of being able to develop that kind of network really has been transformational for the graduates. And some of the graduates, I understand that for example, Senator Chang, Stanley Chang was one of our graduates yes so he went through the program and he's certainly a distinguished graduate locally. Let me see, we've had, we've had graduates that have gone on to be ambassadors for their countries. You know, and in various high level positions of course we're trying to get a whole of society, business, government, academics. And I'm assuming that you keep in touch, they sort of keep in touch with the Northeast Asia for which is we do and it's a very positive and it's an advantage then when we go to the countries that we have that ready network there. And we have such a strong. Not only the young leaders we have a strong network of senior leaders really high. In 30 years, some of those young leaders got to be big, you know, older big time leaders. Exactly. So we're able to, they had such a positive experience in that that we're able to call on them to, you know, bring their expertise to bear. Yeah, it's been, I think, positive for the region and. Okay, so what's the, you said there were two, two basic programs. What's the second. Well a second is we have a, we have various working groups and we have a senior senior leaders conference that we're actually running that annual conference right right now virtually this year usually in person gathering, but for example this year we're focused on our annual conferences focused on some really pivotal issues and timely issues of dialogue. Just yesterday, you and I thank you for coming. We're in a session very much. And, you know, it's interesting because Saturday we just wrapped up COP 26. And our session yesterday was on how do we achieve carbon neutrality. COP 26, why don't you explain that our listeners because not everybody may know what you're talking about. Okay, just in brief, you know, if you haven't been following the news on climate change. Scientists are, are recommending that we need to set limits to greenhouse gas emissions, so as to achieve 1.5 increase in temperature. And that means really drastically changing our reliance on fossil fuels. And so negotiations have just concluded. It didn't. It had many good things it didn't have everything that we would want to see there were some compromises in that agreement. But the people all came together with government leaders and everything in, I know Europe, right, so Scotland. And they discussed issues came out with an agreement. So came out within an agreement, but and then the practical side is well okay that's, you know, there's a political side to it, but how do we actually implement changes in energy infrastructure. And so what is helpful about our dialogues is we, we have representation from highest levels of research scholars in the countries. The, the, the, the, the, the former executive vice president of Hitachi from Japan, for example, Yasuo to Nabe. We had minister, young one Jew from Korea. So we, and we had, we had a scholar from Tianjin University, Che Zhang Zhang from China. We also had somebody from Terry Sal sales Terry Searles from from USA and so we were able to get, you know, the first time I have heard inside information on what is China's plan. What is this, how does China's plan link to the one belt one road initiative. How are they going to transition from, you know, they've been adding more coal fire power plants how how are they going to actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a, in a rapid way, or are they. And so it's fascinating to hear in detail. You know how they're thinking about this. And, and for not just to hear that but to allow, you know, the, the consulate of Japan to ask the questions of what questions Japan has about that, regarding, you know, these kind of dialogues are so important. Oh, they're absolutely and it's so exciting I did want to make a distinction so we had there was this meeting in Scotland, where the political leaders in the world set standards to be achieved. And the day after that, at your at the Northeast Asia Economic Forum, you have these people who can, who are in the way the staff behind the decisions that were made in Scotland come to your conference and give you an inside look as to how these, these goals will be made. And like, that was very precious and to have a candid dialogue between them where they could ask their questions. Oh, that's fantastic. Really valuable. The challenge right now is that we're doing it virtually when in person you're able to even have more benefits from that sort of relation but for many of these, many of these leaders senior leaders. They've developed, Dr. Cho has developed relationships over the course of, of decades and that makes a difference with trust that that these people can actually talk candidly and ask each other questions. I mean, as you were starting to say before I clarified the two meanings is that people like from China. Can you imagine a person that advises the Prime Minister of Japan on energy policy, being able to talk to a leading Chinese scholar about the goals that China set in order to meet representations at this international forum and ask questions like you just said questions and be candid about the challenges because they mutually face challenges. Absolutely. Absolutely. And, and it's amazing to me that that could happen. I mean, you were just talking about the fact that China has been increasing its usage of coal. And yet, now I set a goal where they're going to have to do something about that and to hear a candid discussion that that's not going to be easy but they're going to trying it. I think they're fascinating. We're going to need to take a break right now. And we'll be right back to follow up on the discussions and also what you have planned for the second half of your conference. And where you think we are that you'll be going in the future. So, I appreciate. Thank you, Governor. Thank you. Welcome back to the second half of talk story with john and Dr. Denise Conan. Well, she carries many hats, but she's also Dean of the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii, but more importantly for today's discussion and in many ways maybe for the future of the planet. She is the president of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum. So, for me, as a observer at the meeting this past weekend. It was absolutely fascinating to be able to to hear the exchange of ideas and in the past one of the things that was really nice about having in person meetings was actually starting to participate as well. But, nevertheless, it was very informative. I mean, so, okay, you went through all of that. What happens, what happens to what they discussed and how is it incorporated into whatever and what's the I know you're going to have another meeting next Sunday because of the way we have to do this virtual thing. And what happens next Sunday, I mean, what are we talking about next. Okay, so, well, there's a few things I want to say and I, and I also want to know, Governor that you, you were with me after the beginning since 1991 when you were governor and so you've seen this through the course of time and how influential it can be and how the longevity of relationships really make a difference because people are at a very high level are quite committed to the success of this initiative. They see that it's high stakes. They see that there are not other forum like this it's surprising but who else would host a forum like this it would be seen if it were in Japan that would be seen as biased to Japan if it were in China would be biased to China. We're able to provide a neutrality that that the region really values and needs which is part of the beauty of this forum. So part of what Hawaii's mission that it be through the world. I think it would be great to see that expanded and we'd love to build on this with partners who want to support the effort. So next, next week, next, next week, we are having a very exciting topic. As I talked to my colleagues in the region. The top issues they they said was on their plate was the issue, partly the issue of supply chains, the challenge that we're having that we don't have products on the shelf we're not able to get things into the surprisingly, what they're saying is that it's partly linked to COVID, but it's also linked to the high tension between China and Japan. I'm glad to hear that. I'm a trade economist so I'm, you know, used to thinking about international trade issues. I do consulting for, you know, World Bank and and on issues of the World Trade Organization WTO. What's happening is that because of the trade wars and friction between China and the US. It's, it's pushing the partner countries, Korea and Japan to to sort of bifurcate their their export, right. Instead of producing one kind of export of say an automobile, they have to do a version for China version for us. It's made everything really hard. And if we can't have Chinese parts in the vehicle, that then also becomes really hard. So the fact that we have issues with, I mean, look for those looking to buy a car you see, oh it's very hard right now supplies are not there, but that's amazing all linked together with the fact that us and China, we're we're we're kind of forcing you know these countries, do they choose will go with us or we go with China, or do they try to do both of them, whatever it is, it's really increasing the cost and complication of production and so that's what we're going to talk about next, next week from people, I mean, in a real way, this is a real problem. I mean, right now, it's a problem right now to buy Christmas presents the inflation inflation is driven by this. You know, you want to buy trying to buy a vehicle, even the price of use cars are going up because we can't get new cars and it's very real, very real issues. And, and it's affecting. It's affecting the average family in Hawaii, as it is in the rest of the United States, and most people don't understand that they don't understand the nexus between what you just described, and the cost of living that is increasing. That's amazing. Hey, folks, you heard it first here. You know, on this show. Yes. And it's amazing to me because my wife and I were just talking about that this morning. And she was saying, you know, there were, this is, and so far but I, there was no linkage to directly like this so we don't think about that. That's half of the conferences when we're going to be discussing this issue. Well, I think what there is a symptom of it because one of the things that China has done well in is produce solar solar panels and it's developed a very good foundation for solar energy, which many of why solar companies use their equipment to do what they fulfill their contracts and why. And I was just recently told by the by the member of the public utilities commission that they all of these people are asking for extensions of their contracts because there is this impossibility of filling it because they can't get part to China. I guess this is all part so you all related all very related. Yeah. And so tell me who are some of the people similar similar issues for for batteries, similar issues for batteries for the EVs right coming from China. Similar issues for computer chips from Taiwan and then now rising tensions with Taiwan and China. These things are all so there's political aspects that then turn into real economic issues and and your discussions are among these experts to find a middle way to use the phrase to find another another way to to deal with these issues really human issues. And at the same time, recognize the political forces that are at play. I'm assuming you'll have the same kind of intensive discussion that you had. I hope you can join us. Oh, I'll be there definitely I don't want to miss it. You know we only got a few minutes left and I wanted to ask if you have anything else you wanted to add. I want to say that we had to put the young leaders program on hold because of COVID for some time, but we're really very much hoping to open the young leaders program this coming summer, and we decided to hold it right here in in Hawaii. So our goal is to make that opportunity available and maybe some people would want to participate in in our young leaders program there's an application process that will put out shortly about that and it really is a fabulous program and opportunity to become you know a part of a part of this kind of network and engage with others from around the region. Well, Dean I want to thank you so much for being on our show this afternoon. It's very stimulating subjects that you know you deal with, and I wish that there was a way that more people could have the benefit of well the knowledge that you are accumulating and some of the strategies and things that are needed. Thank you. Thank you. We're exploring that how to make it more invisible but we so appreciate your support. Thank you. And we want to thank all of you for joining us this afternoon and again our appreciation to Dean Denise Conan from the University of Hawaii who is president of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum. Aloha everybody and see you in two weeks.