He is right though, in spite of your examples Chinese mathematics lagged far behind Western mathematics. E.g. By the 1700's, mathematicians were solving Newton's equations using sophisticated approximations, to calculate the future position of the moon.
I'm not inclined towards bold explanations of these differences, but the facts are clear: Western science and mathematics was far beyond anything else in the world at that time.
I'm not inclined towards bold explanations of these differences, but the facts are clear: Western science and mathematics was far beyond anything else in the world at that time.