The 2026 International Conference on Fundamental Sciences was recently held in Beijing. Renowned mathematician and Fields Medalist Martin Hairer attended the opening ceremony, where he presented awards to the winning researchers and scientists.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Hairer spoke highly of China’s progress, saying that over the past five to 10 years, Chinese mathematics research has undergone an extraordinary and unprecedented qualitative transformation in both quality and capabilities.
In the interview, Hairer noted that a favorable and stable external environment is essential for enabling researchers and scientists to work efficiently. In his view, China’s current research environment is highly stable, with the government maintaining clear and long-term supportive policies for scientific research.
By contrast, he said, developments in some other countries show that temporary decisions by certain policymakers can result in substantial cuts to research and innovation budgets within as little as two years. In this regard, he praised the Chinese government’s far-sighted approach to long-term policymaking, saying it has created a unique and solid foundation for researchers returning to China from abroad.
Hairer also praised the Chinese government’s consistent allocation of resources and funding to fundamental scientific research, including mathematics, over the past several years, describing the scale of support as both remarkable and commendable.
He said he has been particularly impressed by the growing number of talented young researchers and students who are choosing to pursue their PhDs in China and complete their entire academic careers there.
This year, two Chinese mathematicians, Deng Yu and Wang Hong, received the Fields Medal, widely regarded as the highest honor in mathematics and often described as the “Nobel Prize of Mathematics.”
Commenting on the achievement, Hairer said that learning about the research of any Fields Medal winner is highly encouraging for the global mathematics community. He added that this year’s results have directly demonstrated that China is now producing world-class mathematicians who are reaching the highest levels of the field and earning its most prestigious honors.
Source: Shuai, Touhid and Jinia, China Media Group.