NSFC has successively founded foundations including the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, National Basic Science Fund for the Development of Mathematics and Tianyuan Fund to support outstanding youths with great mathematics potential, as well as to support cooperative research projects by overseas scholars.

NSFC has provided these mathematicians with good equipment and research environment. Besides, with the economic growth, these funds have been increased from 1 million yuan (US$120,773) in 1988 to 5 million yuan (US$603,865) in 2001. The condition of mathematics research has continuously improved.

According to Wang Nayan, China has always attached great importance to pure mathematics, but the development of applied mathematics lags far behind the international level. “Therefore NSFC will increase the investment for applied mathematics in future.”

It is reported that of 600 projects supported by NSFC, 170 projects were attributed to mathematics research last year. Of 1.966 billion yuan (US$237.4 million) fund of NSFC, 35 million yuan (US$4.23 million) has been used to support mathematics research this year. As to state financial support, 70 percent of the fund used on mathematics research is from NSFC. People in charge of NSFC have repeatedly indicated: utmost determination to support the development of China’s mathematics in future.

China has achieved a rapid development in mathematics, especially on professional training, these years. According to Zhang Wenling, head of the Mathematics Department of NSFC, a series of scientific research projects carried out by the state have made great achievements and eased the debt problem which had bothered them for many years. However, it is a motive force as well as a pressure for NSFC. With the gradual improvement of the physical equipment in colleges, they are facing a large amount of research topics in their future work. The funding of these topics will be a big pressure for NSFC.

Problems still exist in many aspects: the training of professionals needs to be strengthened; people’s knowledge of mathematics is inadequate; many people have no general comprehension of the spirit of mathematics. The NFSC will continue to strive for more funds to support mathematics research. Meanwhile, it will organize various promotional activities so that more people will come to understand and love mathematics.

(china.org.cn by Wang Qian, September 10, 2002)