US–China collaboration as a catalyst for the early development of quantum physics
Danian Hu
Nature Reviews Physics, Published online: 09 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s42254-026-00933-w The contribution of Chinese physicists to global scientific output has a long history, that is often overlooked. In this Comment, historian Danian Hu shares the stories of early 20th century Chinese physicists and discusses the reciprocal US–China relationship that enabled their work.