As a well-known China scholar formerly at the Brookings Institution, Li Cheng now leads the Centre for Contemporary China and the World (CCCW) at the University of Hong Kong. This transition, which took place a year ago, not only represents a personal transformation but also reflects Hong Kong's unique position as a crossroads for East-West understanding. In this conversation, our host James Chau seeks Li's insights on what has or has not changed for him since the transition and the role of people-to-people exchanges in challenging times.