Chinese Scientists in Dubna (1956–1965)

Abstract

The work of Chinese scientists conducted at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) (1956–1965) was inextricably linked to the Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s–1960s. During the early stage of the JINR, with the aid of advanced equipment and the international cooperation mechanism, Chinese scientists yielded significant results, such as the discovery of the antisigma-minus hyperon and the proof of the law of partial conservation of axial current (PCAC). After the Sino-Soviet split, Chinese scientists’ activities at the institute were hampered by political tensions, eventually resulting in China’s withdrawal from the JINR in 1965. But through the involvement at the JINR, Chinese scientists were trained in scientific practices and participated in international exchange and cooperation which turned them into a new force in China’s nuclear industry, boosting its nuclear weapons, particle physics theory, and accelerator technology. In the meantime, the scientists’ activities extended the international influence of the JINR. The withdrawal of China from the institute impacted both the JINR and the development of science in China.