很歡迎司徒文博士（Dr.
Bill Stanton）到「通識講堂」以「數位時代外交之潛力與問題」 (Digital
Age Diplomacy: Potential and Problems) 為題演講。通識講堂自去年百年校慶推出，邀請許多名家作精闢演講，非常受到歡迎，已經建立優良傳統；而今天的「通識講堂」更推陳出新，原因是今晚的講者司徒文先生非常特別，不僅因為他是「通識講堂」第一位「老外」，更由於他是剛卸任的美國在台協會駐台北辦事處處長，也是第一位選擇在台長期定居的美國大使級外交家。
司徒文博士為美國北卡大學教堂山分校（University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, UNCL）英語文學博士，退休前是有三十四年資歷的資深外交官，曾經派駐巴基斯坦、黎巴嫩、南韓及澳洲，並曾兩度派駐北京的美國大使館。2009年至2012年間曾任美國在台協會台北辦事處處長，任內成就包含台灣獲加入免美簽計畫候選國以及促成美國資深官員來訪等，卸任後於台北美國學校任教，2012年7月17日獲頒大綬景星勳章，同年8月1日獲頒表徵在台外國人士特殊成就的外僑永久居留證「梅花卡」。前些時與他有機會晤談，瞭解他當年申請研究所時，曾面臨要到康乃爾大學（Cornell
University）或UNCL的選擇，由於Cornell大學常為一般人首選，當其招生組人員知道他選擇去UNCL，大為吃驚，直問為什麼？司徒文博士以其本身體驗答覆：「they
are nicer」，可見其為性情中人，是 a man of character and
affection。
我們希望，而且很可能司徒文博士到清華會有「賓至如歸」(feel
like home) 的感覺，一方面因為清華大學與美國的淵源深切，是華人地區沒有任何一個其他大學可以比擬的；約一百年前滿清政府在北京利用美國退還多索的庚子賠款（庚款）建校，另一方面，歷年來利用由庚款建立的「清華基金」，在全國選拔了近一千位優秀青年，以公費支持到美國名校就讀；這些學子在學成後，絕大多數回到中國，在許多行業成為領導人物，對中國現代化產生很重大的影響並有具體實質的貢獻，同時也帶動留學美國風潮，培養了一代又一代的知美與親美領導人物；這裡值得特別一提的是清華人曾在民國外交界大放異彩，先後有胡適、葉公超、蔣廷黻博士曾任我國駐美大使，其他也有多位校友擔任大使及公使，在民國外交界舉足輕重。在此特別值得一提的是1905年至1909年任美國駐華大使的柔克義（William
Woodville Rockhill）先生，他在任上成功協助清廷駐美公使梁誠先生堅持將美國退還多索的庚款作為教育之用，對清華的建立，功不可沒。柔氏為美國資深外交家，曾任美國駐韓國參贊、駐羅馬尼亞、土耳其與俄羅斯大使，與司徒文博士有相似資歷。
司徒文博士本人與清華也有一段淵源，龍應台文化基金會全英語「台北沙龍」（Taipei Salon），在前年7月10日，邀請司徒文博士主講「以矛攻盾的美國」 (The Paradox of America)，探討來自南轅北轍的文化族群的三億人口，怎麼組成一個相對繁榮而和諧的國家？正是在本校台北月涵堂舉行，當日本人也應邀與會，與司徒文博士餐敘並第一次見面，可謂「無巧不成書」（No good book is written without coincidence.）。
司徒文博士自美國在台協會/台北辦事處處長任內退休後，現在台北美國學校教授「台-美-中三邊關係」（Trilateral
Taiwan-U.S.-PRC relationship），「美國政府與各種政治系統」（American government and
comparative political systems），「有政治意含的英語文學」（English literature with political
themes），這些課題與今天的講題「數位時代外交之潛力與問題」，顧名思義，都是清華師生同仁有高度興趣的主題，希望今天的第一次接觸（close
encounter of the first kind）是未來司徒文博士與清華緊密互動的先聲。
Good evening and welcome
to the Tsing Hua General Education Lecture Series. Tonight we have a
distinguished speaker, Dr. Bill Stanton, to share with us his insights on
“Digital Age Diplomacy: Potentials and Problems.” Knowing the fact that Dr. Stanton is an
outstanding diplomat who has just retired from his post as the Director of
American Institute in Taiwan, one of the most delicate positions that a U.S.
diplomat can hold, I believe we are in for a real treat!
The Tsing Hua General Education Lecture
Series was launched last year during our Centennial Celebration. This Series
was so well received that the Office of Academic Affairs has decided to
continue this intellectual feast and make it a fine tradition on our campus.
Dr. Stanton received his Ph.D. in
English Literature from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1978.
He went on almost immediately to serve in the U.S. diplomatic corps. For 34
years, he served honorably and successfully in many strategic posts such as
Pakistan, Lebanon, South Korea, Australia, and served twice in China. During
his tenure as the Director of AIT, he has enhanced the friendship between Taiwan
and the U. S. vigorously. One of his important contributions in building a
stronger tie between the two peoples has been the inclusion of Taiwan in the U.
S. visa-waver program which will allow all of us to visit U. S. without the
hassle of getting a U. S. visa.
Our distinguished speaker tonight, Dr.
Bill Stanton is also a gentleman scholar in the best sense of the words. He is,
however, somewhat unique, He is the first “non-Chinese” speaker that we have
invited. Moreover, he is the first U.S. career diplomat decided to stay in
Taiwan after retiring from his active duty. This decision clearly demonstrated
his love for Taiwan and has made him one of the most endearing Americans in our
country.
I believe Dr. Stanton will feel at home
at Tsing Hua. After all, Tsing Hua was established with the funding from the
over-charged Boxer indemnity returned by the U.S. Government in 1909. The
returned funds was specifically earmarked to be used for the purpose of
enhancing Chinese higher education in an Act adopted by the U.S. Congress
largely due to the combined effort of two visionary diplomats; Counselor Liang
Chen who stationed in Washington D. C. representing China at that time and his
counterpart, U.S. Ambassador Bill Rockhill in Beijing. Remarkably, the
stipulation to use the fund for higher education was against the wish of the then
Chinese prime minister, Yuan Shi-Kai, who had wanted to use the fund for
economical development. Due to their effort, part of the Tsing Hua Funds was
used to send nearly one thousand best and brightest Chinese youths to various
American campuses for advanced study over a period of twenty years. Almost all
of them returned to China after completing their study and became leaders in
various sectors of Chinese society; including three Chinese ambassadors to the
U.S.; Hu Shih, George Yeh and Ting-Fu Chiang as well as many ambassador-rank
diplomats who represented China in various posts in different parts of the
world.
The Tsing Hua Fund established with the
efforts of these two visionary diplomats is still operative and benefiting the
University after more one hundred year of its establishment. It shows what
capable and visionary diplomats can do with their foresights and diplomacy.
Personally, I had the pleasure of
meeting Dr. Stanton in one of the events organized by Taipei Salon chaired by
the current Minister of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Ingtai Long on July 10, 2010. On
that occasion, Dr. Stanton gave a stimulating lecture on the “Paradox of
America” where he analyzed how 300 million Americans created a prosperous and
rather harmonious nation despite of their heterogeneous cultural backgrounds.
Incidentally, that particular lecture was given in the auditorium of NTHU’s
Taipei Office. As the saying goes, no
good book is written without coincidence.
I believe tonight’s lecture is
especially interesting to NTHU faculty and students. As a university, we are
well-known for our excellent programs in information science and we have long
history with the U.S. Like all of you, I
am eager to hear Dr. Stanton’s speech, but before turning the podium over, I
would like Dr. Stanton to know that we hope this is just the beginning of long
and cordial relationship between Tsing Hua and Dr. Stanton.
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