On January 15, 2021, under the initiative of Professor Weidong Ji, Mr. Shi Wang and other professors, the memorial service for Professor Vogel of Harvard University was held in the Law Building of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Xuhui Campus with the co-operation of the Feishu Online Conference System. The memorial service was hosted by the Center for Japanese Studies of Shanghai Jiaotong University. The co-organizers include the Organization of Humanity Cooperation of the Asian Community of Japan, the Japanese International Cultural Center, the Chinese Institute for Socio-Legal Studies, the Harvard University U.S.-Japan Relations Program, the Back to the Future Studio, the Lan Shi Research Association, so on and other Sino-Japanese research and exchange institutions. Professor Steven Vogel the son of Professor Ezra F. Vogel, and Professor Michael Szonyi the current director of the Harvard University Fairbank Center, also attended and delivered their speeches. There were about 50 attendees at the venue, around 70 registered online attendees, and nearly 150 unregistered online viewers who watched the live broadcasting. In total, there were about 270 offline and online attendees.
On December 20, 2020, Professor Vogel, a well-known expert in research topics on China, Japan, and East Asia had passed away, and lead to an immediate response and discussion from relevant countries. He was the Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences Emeritus at Harvard, and former director of the Fairbank Center. He was considered the only scholar in the United States who is expert in both China and Japan studies. He devoted his life to the study of East Asian issues, not only having a high reputation in Japan, but also one of the most influential experts on Chinese issues in the United States, and gaining the reputation of "Mr. China" at Harvard University. His works of representation include "Japan's New Middle Class", "Japan as No. 1", "One Step Ahead in China: Guangdong under Reform", "Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China", "China and Japan: Facing History" and others. Many Chinese remembered that he had published an open letter with hundreds of experts and scholars in the United States before his decease, opposing the hostile foreign policy of the United States with China, and also that he emphasized the importance of co-operation between China and Japan based on the history of 1500 years of diplomatic relation.
At the Memorial Service
In fact, Professor Vogel also had many co operations and connection with Shanghai and Jiaotong University, which gave the commemorative seminar more or less a touch of emotion. The memorial service held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University had the themed "East Asian Understanding and Resonance". Famous experts and scholars from China, Japan, and the United States were invited together in remembrance of the legendary life of Professor Vogel and his great contributions to China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
The opening ceremony of the service was hosted by Weidong Ji, a senior professor of liberal arts at Shanghai Jiaotong University and also the director of the Center for Japanese Studies. He first briefed the purpose of this commemorative seminar, and then invited Cheng Zhou the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai Jiaotong University, the representative of Yasuo Fukuda who is the former Japanese Prime Minister, Yonghua Cheng the former Chinese ambassador of Japan, and Professor Michael Szonyi the director of the Harvard Fairbank Center, Cheng Li the Director of the John Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, Yawei Liu the Senior Advisor of Chinese Affairs at the USA Carter Center, Shi Wang the Founder and Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wanke Association, and Son of Professor Vogel who is the Chair of the Political Economy Program, the Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, Steven Vogel delivered their speeches.
Professor Weidong Ji
Cheng Zhou, the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai Jiaotong University, concluded Professor Vogel’s contributions to the East Asian Institute and expressed his deepest sorrow for Professor Vogel. He pointed out that the Center for Japanese Studies of Shanghai Jiaotong University has been committed to Sino-Japanese exchange relations and hosted the memorial service for Professor Vogel to reflect on what Vogel has left for all to consider, calling for understanding and resonance in East Asia, which has epochal significance.
Deputy secretary Cheng Zhou
The former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda specially sent a written speech after hearing about the memorial service, which was read by Shimizu, the executive director of the Organization of Humanity Cooperation of the Asian Community. In his speech, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda recalled his memory with Professor Vogel, expressing his admiration for Vogel’s academic spirit and care for humanity, stating that Professor Vogel is the irreplaceable bridge of communication between Japan, China, and the United States. Looking ahead, Mr. Fukuda is hoping to work to promote mutual understanding and friendly relations between China, Japan and all Asian countries.
Director Shimizu delivered a speech on behalf of Mr. Yasuo Fukuda
Yonghua Cheng, the former Chinese ambassador to Japan and Executive Vice President of the China-Japan Friendship Association, believes that the best way to commemorate Professor Vogel is continue to inherit and preserve his vision for the construction of an harmonious and stable diplomatic relationship between China, the United States and Japan. Facing the Novel Corona-virus pneumonia, China and Japan jointly worked together to overcome the brought forward difficulties and challenges, setting an example of showing the support and solidarity between Asian countries. It is important for us to realize the significance of the Sino-Japan and Sino-US bilateral relations.
Ambassador Yonghua Cheng
Professor Michael Szonyi, the director of the Harvard Fairbank Center, emphasized that Mr. Vogel devoted his life in building the bridge of consensus and communication between the United States, China and Japan. Professor Szonyi comprehend it as propagating a sense of "religion" that comprises the value of mutual understanding and tolerance for people from all parts of the world. It transcends hatred and misunderstanding, combating against hostility, and encourages reconciliation in the East Asian region.
Professor Michael Szonyi
Cheng Li, director of the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, expressed his sincere gratitude to Professor Vogel, and to the rest of the fellow scholars and colleagues, who worked for the Sino-US relations. It is their humility and empathy, humanistic concern and global vision that repaired and re-built the connection of the two countries.
Director Cheng Li
Yawei Liu, the Director of the Carter Center’s China Program, states that Professor Vogel is a piece of mirror. He revealed us the agony and joy, beauty and hideousness aspects of the world, and the complexity of Sino-US and Sino-Japanese relations. He says it’s difficult for the people of one country to understand the history and political affairs of another, but at the same time, Vogel showed us that mutual understanding and peace could be built through long work of perseverance and determination.
Mr. Yawei Liu
Shi Wang, founder and Honorary Chairman of the Vanke Group, said that remembering Professor Vogel is means remembering his Chinese name “Gao Yi”. The academic career started by Professor Vogel is not only a bridge between the East and the West, but also between China and Japan. Paying tolerance and willing to listen to one another highlights the wisdom for people from different backgrounds to live in harmony. This is also an important reflection that Professor Vogel has left us to think about.
Mr. Shi Wang
Professor Steven Vogel, Professor Vogel’s son and who is the Chair of the Political Economy Program, the Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, expressed his gratitude to the organizers and co-organizers of the memorial service. He pointed out that if his father could leave us any legacy, it would be to ask the people of China, Japan and the United States to think from a global perspective as to how we can contribute to solve existing problems as citizens from respective countries.
