Not sure this applies only to eastern cultures, when someone does this to me I think they're more concerned about making me feel heard than actually hearing me.

Not sure this applies only to eastern cultures, when someone does this to me I think they're more concerned about making me feel heard than actually hearing me. If I'm saying something I assume you're listening, if suddenly you show me that your first order concern in the conversation is to show you're listening rather than immediately engage, it generally comes across as calculating. Just engage directly with the subject and apologise if you misunderstand.