Science: Red China's Drive

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The Leap. Although U.S. scientists may not visit Red China, Canadian scientists can and do. Professor J. Tuzo Wilson of the University of Toronto said that when he went to China in 1958 as president of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, he found Chinese science in a thriving state. The Communist regime is pouring money and effort into its scientific "leap ahead," and the participants are fired by nationalistic fervor, even though many of them may not like Communism as such. A sad contrast, said Wilson, is the low morale among scientists on Formosa, where the Chinese Nationalist government gives them small support or encouragement.

Despite its vast effort, Communist China's science remains years behind that of the U.S., Russia and most Western European nations. But if it ever catches up, the world can expect real trouble.