We're used to China's growing power in almost every field from trade to geopolitics, and now it's the turn of science.

從貿易到地緣政治，我們已經相當熟悉中國在多個領域方面的成長力度，而現在輪到科學領域。

On January the 3rd, China landed a rover on the far side of the moon.

1 月 3 日中國探測器成功著陸在月球背面。

It was the first country to do so, and it signaled China's soaring ambitions in science.

這在全球史無前例，且標誌出中國在科學領域日漸增長的企圖心。

Space is just one area in which they're pouring many millions of dollars into research.

太空不過是中國投入數百萬研究資金的其中一處。

Genomics, quantum communications, materials, in all these areas, China is putting a huge effort into becoming a leader.

基因工程、量子通訊、材質應用，這些全都是中國企圖領先的目標。

And it's about 10 or 15 years before China becomes a scientific superpower.

大約 10 或 15 年之後，中國將成為科學界的超級強國。

2. Should the world be worried?

2. 其他國家是否應小心提防？

China's going to all these efforts because it knows that a strong science base is essential if it is to be a first class economic and military power, but in the rush to get ahead, Chinese scientist sometimes take ethical shortcuts.

中國之所以會付出這些努力，是因為它了解若欲成為頂尖的經濟與軍事強權，強大的科學基礎是不可或缺的；然而也由於急著超前，中國科學家有時候在倫理道德上會有所讓步。

Scientific theft and copying and fraud is rampant.

科學知識竊奪、照抄、詐騙都屢見不鮮。

Last year He Jiankui, an Associate Professor from Shenzin, genetically modified two embryos, without proper regard to their welfare when they were born, or indeed the welfare of any children they might go on to have.

去年一位來自深圳的副教授賀建奎對兩個胚胎進行基因改造，沒有確實考慮兩位孩子出生後的福祉，更未顧慮到他們可能孕育的下一代。

At a time of growing competition between the United States and China, the West is worried what this growing scientific Chinese power really means.

正值美中競爭態勢激烈，西方國家擔心中國茁壯的科學能量所將導致的後果。

These worries are real.

這些擔憂其來有自。

It's not just a question of Chinese weapons, but also of how they might use science to oppress their own people, for instance.

不僅攸關中國的武器發展，舉例來說，也牽涉到中國會如何運用科學來壓迫人民。

Already, China's using artificial intelligence to have real-time facial recognition of its people.

現在我們已經看到，中國運用人工智慧對人民進行即時的人臉辨識。

What is it to have a scientific superpower wrapped up in a one-party dictatorship?

當科學強權碰上一黨專政，會發生什麼事情？

3. How can the world benefit?

3. 我們能從中獲得什麼益處？

Chinese research has a lot to offer the world, in say, battery technology, or the cures to diseases, or fundamental discoveries into, for instance, dark matter.

中國的研究能對世界做出許多貢獻，例如電池技術、疾病治療，或者針對宇宙暗物質的深入探究。

And, the nature of science itself may help make China a better scientific actor.

再者，科學的本質也可能促成中國扮演更好的科學角色。

For one thing, science is collaborative.

一方面，科學需要互相合作。

If you try and cut yourself off as a nation, you'll only hinder your own scientific progress.

當一個國家嘗試孤立，最終只會阻礙自己的科學進程。

If it wants to be cutting edge, China will benefit from working with other countries.

如果想要走向科技尖端，中國最好與其他國家攜手合作。

And that means in order to collaborate and have access, its scientists will have an incentive to follow the rules.

而這也表示為了促成合作，中國科學家會想跟著遵守遊戲規則。

But, the most interesting question of all is whether science might end up changing China.

不過最耐人尋味的問題還是：科學最終是否會改變中國。

4. How will science change China?

4. 科學將以何種方式改變中國？

President Xi Jinping is betting that he can have leading edge science at the same time as the Communist Party increases its stranglehold on Chinese society.

習近平總統篤定中國能夠擁有尖端科學技術，同時共產黨也能持續掌控中國社會。

But, is he right about that?

他的想法沒錯嗎？

Of course, not all scientists are democrats, but science itself involves critical thinking, questioning authority, empiricism, making judgments about the world.

當然並不是每一位科學家都是民主擁護者，但是科學本身包含批判性思考、挑戰權威、實證主義、主觀論斷這個世界。

And all of these things threaten autocrats who survive by controlling the way that people think.

專制獨裁仰賴的是對人民思想之箝制，而上述特質都會對此造成威脅。

So, President Xi could face a tough choice.

因此，習近平面臨的是一項艱鉅抉擇。

If he wants his scientists to be cutting edge, he may have to give them the freedom and risk the consequences.

想培養頂尖中國科學家的話，習近平或許得冒險放他們自由。

In that sense, he's running the biggest experiment of all.

這樣看來，他手上的實驗至關重要。