There has been no witch-hunt of Chinese scientists in the United States after the release of a congressional report alleging mainland espionage, a Nobel prize winner said yesterday. American-based Chinese Professor Samuel Ting, Nobel laureate in physics in 1976, said he had not heard of any discrimination against Asian or Chinese scientists after the publishing of the Cox report this year. On a visit to Hong Kong, Professor Ting said: 'There is not any kind of discrimination. There are scientists from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong working in our lab and they are treated just like everyone else.' Chinese scientists in America had made a great contribution to the technological development of the US and their importance was increasing, he said, adding Beijing should increase investment in its own scientific research. 'The contribution of Chinese people to modern science is not proportional to their large population and rich cultural heritage,' he said. China should not neglect the study of pure science, which was the backbone for any scientific research. The professor said he believed the Chinese Government's pledge to 'invigoratethe nation through science and education' was genuine after he talked to President Jiang Zemin. 'President Jiang has showed a real interest and understanding in scientific research,' he said. A higher allocation of resources to research and a free society were vital for China to develop into a scientific power. Professor Ting was cautious about China's proposed moon-landing project, tentatively scheduled for early next century. 'The programme would greatly benefit China's space, missile and computer technology, but a lot of risks are to be expected,' he said.
