Maths guru Shing-Tung Yau on what China needs for global leadership in science

Shing-Tung Yau, one of the world’s most influential mathematicians, is chair of Tsinghua University’s Qiuzhen College, which is fast-tracking talented young students through a programme of his own design.

Born in the southern province of Guangdong and educated in Hong Kong and the US, the 76-year-old shared his ideas on science and education, key to China’s 15th five-year plan (2026-2030), which is expected to focus on the development of an innovation-driven economy.

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.

This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.

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.