Fields Medalist Martin Hairer praised the 2026 International Congress of Basic Science underway in Beijing for uniting diverse scientific disciplines.
The Fields Medal, often described as the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics," is awarded every four years to up to four mathematicians under 40 for outstanding achievements.
The 13-day congress, which opened on Aug 9, brings together leading scholars in mathematics, physics, information science, engineering and other fundamental fields.
"I think it's been really great to see how sort of lively research in basic sciences is, to see recognition for the great works that people did in the various, very broad sort of range of areas. I think that's one thing that it was very nice. It's very rare to actually have one Congress where you see everything from pure mathematics to applied mathematics to theoretical physics to engineering. So it's a really extremely broad and that's very nice to see," said Hairer in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) on Sunday on the sidelines of the event.
Hairer, a professor at the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and Imperial College London, won the Fields Medal in 2014 for his contributions to the theory of stochastic partial differential equations, particularly for developing a theory of regularity structures for such equations.
Now in its fourth year, the congress has drawn Nobel laureates, Turing Award winners, and leading academics from around the world under the theme "Advancing Basic Science for Humanity."
Fields Medalist hails int'l science congress for disciplinary diversity
For Diel Or, a Chinese-Filipino man living in east China's Fujian Province, running a small cafe infused with local culture has opened opportunities to form cultural connections between China and the Philippines.
His cafe, Nearby Coffee, known in Chinese as Fugen Coffee, sits in the coastal city of Quanzhou, once one of the world's largest ports along the historic Maritime Silk Road and a melting pot of world cultures. The name itself carries a story.
"You know why it's Fugen? Because Fugen in Minnanhua (southern Fujian dialect) sounds like Fujin, which is 'nearby' in the Chinese sense. There's a culture thing on it. It makes sense, right?" Or explained.
The small business owner said the connection to Quanzhou runs deeper than entrepreneurship. He opened the shop with close friends, and the unwavering support they have shown to each other throughout the venture reflects the values of the local community.
"The first time I was here, the whole year studying, I ended up really liking it here, liking the lifestyle, and making friends. And I think that this is what really made me want to stay here, as well as being close to my family on my father's side. It's sharing cultures and meeting new people," he said.
Settling in China was a big decision for Or, but the sheer convenience of daily life made it an easy call.
"I realized that the one thing I loved about China was convenience, which means that everything I want or need is here. And it's very fast," he said.
Looking ahead, Or said one of his biggest dreams is to eventually open a branch in the Philippines. For now, he sees himself as a bridge between his two homes.
"Sometimes I feel like coming here, I was that bridge to connect my family here. And then, now when I go back, it's like, oh, now I'm bringing some things from China to the Philippines," he said.
Chinese-Filipino cafe owner brews cultural connections between two nations
