Open Questions | Maths guru Shing-Tung Yau on what China needs for global leadership in science
Influential maths expert calls to nurture domestic talent, notes ‘profound symbolic weight’ of Hong Kong’s bid to host top 2030 conference
Speaking solely in a personal capacity, Yau shared his views on the importance of domestically groomed talent, Hong Kong’s transition to a science and tech hub and its opportunity to host a top-tier maths conference in 2030, as China and the US vie for primacy in their tech race.
China’s 15th five-year plan is in its final stages of formulation. What’s your advice for the blueprint? Will it broadly serve Beijing’s goal of breaking technology choke points amid tensions with the US?
China has made significant strides in manufacturing, largely due to its vast pool of skilled labour. While the workforce may not always possess the highest qualifications, it is sufficiently competent to drive industrial success. This has enabled China to compete with the United States in certain domains.
