Chinese Mathematicians Wang Hong and Deng Yu Win Fields Medal; Basic Research Funding Rises to RMB 277.8
Chinese mathematicians Wang Hong and Deng Yu have been awarded the Fields Medal, often called the Nobel Prize of mathematics. Their advanced studies and main research were conducted overseas. China's basic research funding rose from RMB 55.5 billion in 2013 to RMB 277.8 billion in 2025, reaching 7.08% of total R&D spending, ranking second globally. In 2025, full-time equivalent R&D personnel hit 7.95 million person-years, first worldwide for 13 consecutive years. Among National Natural Science Foundation projects, 80% are led by researchers under 45. The article also addresses research integrity issues and reform directions.
Recently, Chinese mathematicians Wang Hong and Deng Yu were awarded the Fields Medal. The award is often called the "Nobel Prize of mathematics." Both individuals completed their advanced studies and main research work overseas.
China's total basic research funding increased from RMB 55.5 billion in 2013 to RMB 277.8 billion in 2025, with its share of total R&D spending rising to 7.08%, ranking second in the world. In 2025, China's full-time equivalent R&D personnel reached 7.95 million person-years, ranking first in the world for 13 consecutive years. Among projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation, 80% are undertaken by young people under the age of 45. In major national science and technology projects such as BeiDou and lunar exploration, many project team members have an average age of about 30.
Research integrity issues include academic plagiarism, paper fabrication, misappropriation of others' achievements, falsification of academic identity, and fraudulently obtaining science and technology subsidies. These behaviors distort research results, waste research funding, and undermine academic norms. Relevant reform directions include improving long-cycle evaluation mechanisms, using representative works and milestones of scientific contribution as benchmarks, and establishing a research evaluation and resource allocation system oriented toward innovation value and actual contribution, supporting high-risk, high-value basic research.