Bulletin Autumn 1989

Universities Service Centre A Base for Research on China —H.C. Kuan, J . K .M . Hung Background At the time when China was closed to the outside world, it was only natural that a centre for contemporary China studies based in Hong Kong should be established. In 1963, the same year The Chinese University of Hong Kong was founded, a group of outstanding Western scholars who recog­ nized the need approached various foundations and academic institutions to galvanize support for research on China. In the event, asumof money was raised and the Universities Service Centre (USC) was bom in Hong Kong as a base for research on China. The following decades saw the centre flourishing on the continued efforts of innumerable scholars, among them Franz Schurmann, John Lindbeck, Frederich Burkhardt, Lucian Pye, and in particular John Dolfin, who managed the centre for fifteen years. The centre has since grown into a major stronghold for Western scholars doing research on China. According to statistics available from the early 1980s, more than 200 volumes of works has been published by scholars who made use of the facilities of the centre. Many of these works have become mandatory readings for experts and students in the field. Today, quite a number of prominent scholars in China studies as well asChina policy advisers ofWestern governments once spent their student days at the centre, gathering materials through interviewing mainland immigrants, and through painstakingly reading between the lines of mainland newspapers andjournals. With the Chinese government establishing more open policies in the early eighties, opportunities become available for Western scholars to do research directly in the mainland. Thus, Hong Kong's position as a research base for Western scholars gradually became less significant. Moreover, in a place such as Hong Kong where land resources are scarce, the costs of maintaining an expanding research collection escalated. A ll these led to adebate on the future of the centre since the mid-1980s. The Chinese University has always attached great importance to research on China and thus has been concerned with the centre's development. When it learned in late 1987 that the centre might have to relocated from Hong Kong, the University started to negotiate with the American Council of Learned Societies, which was responsible for the centre's management at that time. An agree ment was then reached for The Chinese University to take over financial and managerial responsibility for the centre. Thus, in the summer of 1988, the centre was moved to the present premises from its original location on Argyle Street in Kowloon. After nearly one year of renovation work, the centre was in full operation in mid-June and formally reopened on 31st August this year. The opening ceremony was held at Cho Yiu Conference Hall, officiated by Professor Charles K. Kao, the Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University, and Professor R.T.T. Young, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong. Professor Ezra Vogel, professor of sociology at Harvard University also addressed the gathering. The function was attended by local scholars, China watchers andmembers of the press. Current Situation The centre's current director is Dr. Kuan Hsin- chi. Ms. Jean Hung, the assistant director, is respon sible for its daily operation. An advisory committee consisting of international scholars decides on broad policies and guidelines. The following major categories of material are currently held in the centre: i. Loca l newspapers The most unique collection of USC is a com plete set of major local and provincial newspapers published in China from the late 1940s and early 1950s. The centre subscribes to approximately 400 mainland newspapers. For example, as many as 28 newspapers are received from Guangdong, including Southern Da i l y , Guangzhou Da i l y , Guangdong Pe asan t News , Gu a n g d o n g Over seas N e w s , Zhanjiang Dai ly , Shaoguan News , Foshan New s ， Shenzhen Special Zone News , and Special Zone Worker' s News . 14