Strategy-oriented founding of computational mathematics in China

Modern mathematics serves as the foundation of natural science and engineering technology, and is generally divided into two main fields: pure mathematics and applied mathematics. As a key branch of applied mathematics, computational mathematics originated during the Manhattan Project—one of the most significant military undertakings in human history. Similarly, the emergence of computational mathematics in China was also closely tied to national defense initiatives. Under the strategic guidance of defense and industrial development, and strongly driven by the 12-Year Science and Technology Plan, China successfully established and advanced the field of computational mathematics, filling a crucial gap in the nation’s applied mathematics landscape.