At a time of accelerating geopolitical realignment, Global Neighbours hosted the concluding event of Prof. Moon Chung-in’s Visiting Fellowship with a lecture and discussion on the question “Thinking the Unthinkable: An East Asian Regional Order without the US.” The event took place on November 11, 2025, at Palais Esterházy under the Chatham House Rule, bringing together leading figures from international diplomacy, politics, academia and business. The session began with remarks by Global Neighbours President Christian Kern, followed by Prof. Moon’s keynote lecture.
Drawing on research conducted during his fellowship, Prof. Moon examined how East Asia’s regional order is being reshaped by the heightened strategic competition between the United States and China. He traced the post-war foundations of American predominance and went on to describe how shifts in global power, economic protectionism and domestic political change – beginning with the “America First” approach under Trump 1.0 – have eroded Washington’s credibility in the region. What once provided the backbone of regional stability, he argued, has now become a source of uncertainty. As a result, East Asian countries now find themselves balancing long-standing security ties with the U.S. against deepening economic interdependence with China.
Prof. Moon outlined three possible trajectories for the region’s future: full U.S. disengagement, a reduced offshore-balancing role, or a fragile continuation of the status quo. Rather than viewing a U.S.-free East Asia as inherently unstable, he argued that the current moment could offer an opening for new forms of cooperation. His proposed concept of transcending diplomacy calls for regional mechanisms that replace zero-sum competition with inclusive, multilateral security and economic frameworks, inspired in part by Europe’s Helsinki Process. He also reflected on how such an approach might contribute to a more resilient and balanced regional architecture, capable of reducing dependency on great-power rivalry.
The lecture was followed by a Q&A moderated by Christian Kern, closing the event with an open exchange of views.
The event illustrated Global Neighbours’ role as a meeting point between European and Asian perspectives. Through Prof. Moon’s contribution, it offered insights into how other regions are responding to global shifts that also shape Europe’s own strategic and economic debates.
Organizer: Global Neighbours GmbH
Guest Speaker: Prof. Moon Chung-in, Global Neighbours Visiting Fellow; former Special Adviser to the President of South Korea on National Security and Foreign Affairs; James Laney Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Yonsei University
Date & Location: November 11, 2025, Palais Esterházy, Vienna