The Opening Ceremony of Dr. Seaker Chan Center for Comparative Political Development Studies was held in room 104 at Center for American Studies, Fudan University, on May 4, 2012. Mr. Anson Chan, Chairman of Bonds Group of Companies, Prof. Lin Shangli, Vice- President of Fudan University as well as a number of comparative political scientists from inside and outside Fudan University were invited to the ceremony. Prof. Chen Yugang, Vice Dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs chaired the ceremony.
Prof. Chen first described Dr. Chan Shu Kui’s teaching experiences in Fudan University at the time of national crisis and his great contributions to the Department of Political Science of Fudan University, and expressed gratitude to Mr. Anson Chan, the donator of CCPDS, on behalf of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs. Prof. Lin Shangli, Vice- President of Fudan University and Dean of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, gave a speech on behalf of Fudan University. He highly praised Mr. Anson Chan for his adhering to the behest of his late father, his generous donation to the school, and his support to disciplinary construction. He presented a special gift prepared by the Archives of Fudan University to Mr. Anson Chan which is a personal letter that Dr. Chan Shu Kui handed to the university with the handwriting reply of the President Wu Nanxuan on the letterhead. He also issued the Honorary Chairman Letter of Appointment of CCPDS. Vice President Lin Shangli and Chairman Anson Chan inaugurated the center together.
Mr. Anson Chan recalled the time when his late father Dr. Chan was a professor in the Department of Political Science at Fudan University (in Beibei, Chongqing). His donation and full participation in the building of the center partly was to fulfill the last wishes of his late father, and to continue the profound friendship between Dr. Chan and Fudan University as well as the School of International Relations and Public Affairs. Mr. Anson Chan appreciated the efforts made by staff of the school for the building of CCPDS, and expressed his confidence and wished to the development of the center. Subsequently Mr. Anson Chan announced the list of council members in the center and issued Letter of Appointment to Prof. Chen Mingming, academic committee remember and Director of CCPDS.
Prof. Chen introduced the work plan of CCPDS in the coming year, and announced the list of academic committee members. He issued Letters of Appointment to Prof. Yang Guangbin, Prof. Xu Yong and Prof. Chen Zhimin etc. Prof. Chen Zhimin on behalf of the academic committee delivered a speech. He believed that CCPDS must strive to seek answers in major issues of the development of human society, fine systems, and universal values etc., and become a banner in academic research.
At last, participants took a group photo and visited the office of CCPDS in room 605 of Wenke Building.
After the ceremony, the Opening Talks were given by Prof. Xu from Central China Normal University and Prof. Yang Guangbin from Renmin University of China on “Never Mistake Foreign as Chinese: A Comparison Between the Village System in the East and Household System”and Prof. Yang Guangbin Talked about “Democracy and the Future of Chinese Politics: A Comparative Political Perspective”respectively.
