Mathematician Zhang Yitang says he left US for China due to political climate
Zhang, known for his prime number research, told Phoenix TV, a partially state-owned broadcaster, in a programme aired on Monday that he had been thinking about returning to the mainland 'in light of recent international political issues that have strained China-US relations'.
'Many Chinese scholars and professors in the US have already returned, and many others are still considering it,' Zhang said. 'I think this is a positive trend.'
'My field is not greatly affected, but for researchers in computers,
chips or anything related to the military industry, they need to be especially careful,' he warned. 'The US is very strict about these areas now.'
Zhang (left) receives his letter of appointment as a full-time faculty member at Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of Advanced Studies Hong Kong on June 27, 2025. Photo: Handout
Zhang said that one advantage of studying mathematics, especially theoretical mathematics, was not having to be tied to a particular place.
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