China hosting ICM 2030 would inspire world-class math students: renowned mathematician

China's hosting of the 2030 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM 2030), the world's largest mathematics conference, will help encourage more young students across the country devote themselves to the mathematics field, according to Shing-Tung Yau, a former prize winner at the prestigious event

Yau, who won the event's coveted Fields medal back in 1982, is now helping lead China's bid to host the ICM in 2030, aiming to inspire young students to take the lead in global math research.

In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Yau, who is also a professor at China's acclaimed Tsinghua University, said that he has seen the country's efforts in cultivating talent paying off, as there has been a rise in world-class math students from China.

"China has trained their students far better now than before. We have almost, I would say, the world's best high school students and undergraduate students in mathematics. And they are able to study within China themselves. So a major event like ICM happening in China, especially in Beijing city, it will be great encouragement for them to develop their own way to learn how mathematicians should behave in China," he said.

China faces competition from both Japan and the UK who are also bidding to host the grand event. However, Yau is quite confident that his team will win the right to host the ICM competition.

With China seeking to pull out all the stops on developing homegrown talent, Yau also noted that many Chinese students have a passion for math, while the country has been investing more in basic science.

"We have about, each year, 3,000 young talents, I mentioned, these 12-year-old students all over the country. There are 3,000 young students of that age who show strong interest to come into mathematics. So after five years we are talking a large number of good students. So these are one of the major differences between us and England or Japan. And beyond that, the country is getting richer in investing into basic science," he said.

China hosting ICM 2030 would inspire world-class math students: renowned mathematician

Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, directors of the film Project Hail Mary, said their science fiction movie aims to showcase the heartwarming power of understanding and acceptance.

The film was released worldwide last Friday, grossing more than 140 million U.S. dollars in its opening weekend.

Not only has the film performed strongly at the box office, but it has also pushed the boundaries of science fiction with its heartwarming touch.

In the film, as the protagonist's only companion in the cosmos, Rocky's exterior is composed of irregular rocks, yet his personality is lively and endearing.

In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) via video link, Miller and Lord said that to visualize this unique alien creature, they turned to the natural world for inspiration.

"We looked at lots of like minerals and like chrysoprase rough, which is a gemstone. And we loved the way that like there were veins of like pretty gemstones amongst more regular sandstone and rock," said Lord.

In addition to its exterior design, Rocky's body language is equally distinctive.

"The way that he moves is sometimes animal-like and sometimes it's like a cat or a dog, but also sometimes he's like a person. And then he also has ways of moving that are from his own alien culture that were invented by us and James Ortiz, the lead puppeteer who portrayed rocky," said Miller.

When two vastly different beings meet in space, their differences do not create a barrier; instead, they bring them closer together. With its imaginative sci-fi premise, the film tells the story of a friendship that transcends species.

"That's something that we can take with us in the world, as we come across people who are different from us and find common ground and make accommodations for each other and try and see the world through their eyes, and then pretty much anything is possible," said Miller.

U.S. science fiction movie tells story of heartwarming power