At a time when foreign currency reserves were low, the purchase of U.S. $ 2,000 worth of fruit trees seemed wasteful. Chiang Ching-kuo reassured Sung that money spent on scientific research was never a waste.
然而，當「用二千美元購果苗」這則新聞在報端披露後，竟引起各方的責難。許多人認為，當時國家財政困難，為何要動用外匯去購買樹苗，實在是種浪費！