Co-hosted by Royal Asiatic Society, Beijing (RASBJ), Yale Club of Beijing, and Yale Center Beijing. This talk is part of the Greenberg Distinguished Colloquium.

Event Time

Beijing Time 
Friday, July 17, 2026
20:00-21:00

Eastern Standard Time 
Friday, July 17, 2026
8:00-9:00

Participation Format 

Registration is required to receive the ZOOM access link, which will be sent shortly to your registered email or phone number. Please enter the Zoom room 15 minutes before the starting time. Once the Zoom room reaches full capacity, latecomers will not be able to join the event. 

Registration and Fees

Registration
Please click “HERE” to register. Please send an email to yalecenterbeijing@yale.edu if there are any problems. 

Ticket: Free for RASBJ members, and members of Yale community; RMB 50 for non-Yale students and faculty; RMB 100 for regular admission.

*The registration fee is non-refundable. Unless due to a force majeure reason, Yale Center Beijing will not refund any part of the registration fee if a participant fails to attend the event.

The language of the event will be English.

The Event

Drawing on extensive archival research across continents, renowned Cambridge historian Hans van de Ven tells the dramatic story of how the people of Asia mobilized to resist both Japanese aggression and European imperialism, forging modern Asia in the process, in his new book, Blood Dawn: World War II and the Making of Modern Asia.

On July 17, Hans ven de Ven will discuss how his new book reframes our understanding of World War II in Asia in an online conversation with David Rennie, Geopolitics Editor at The Economist and former Beijing bureau chief.

The Speaker

Hans van de Ven
Professor of Modern Chinese History & Director of Studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge
Chair Professor, Peking University

Hans van de Ven is a historian of modern China and the Second World War, a Fellow of the British Academy, and a Chair Professor at Peking University. Born and raised in the Netherlands, he began his study of Chinese history on a whim—only to find a lifelong calling that has seen him become one of the most respected voices in the field.

A dedicated educator, Professor van de Ven has spent his academic career at the University of Cambridge, where he has mentored a generation of scholars who now teach at leading universities around the world.

The Moderator

David Rennie
Geopolitics Editor, The Economist

David Rennie is Geopolitics Editor at The Economist and author of "The Telegram" column. He joined The Economist in 2007. From 2007-2010, he served as the magazine's EU correspondent and "Charlemagne" columnist, based in Brussels. From 2010-2012, he was British political editor and "Bagehot" columnist in London. In the summer of 2012, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he served as "Lexington" columnist (2012-2017), and Washington bureau chief (2013-2018). From 2018 to September 2024, he was The Economist's Beijing bureau chief and "Chaguan" columnist. Prior to joining The Economist, he worked on the foreign staff of The Daily Telegraph, with postings in Sydney, Beijing, Washington, D.C., and Brussels. He receviced the 2010 UACES/Thomson Reuters "Reporting Europe" award. In 2023, the Asia Society awarded the 2023 Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia to David Rennie and Sue-Lin Wong in recognition of their coverage of China.

Greenberg Distinguished Colloquium

Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Maurice R. Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of Starr Insurance Companies, and a member of Yale Center Beijing’s Advisory Committee, Yale Center Beijing is pleased to host the Greenberg Distinguished Colloquium, which convenes thought leaders from all sectors who, in the spirit of Mr. Greenberg, play pivotal roles in building bridges among China, the U.S., and the rest of the world.