It's not whether the Chinese language is capable of symbolic or formal derivations. To that end, any language systems can potentially introduce a set of symbols, if needs be. And the symbols can simply be the characters from the very same language. As a matter of fact, I believe by now, under the heavy influence of western culture, all major forms of human languages have been made to connect with symbolic reasoning using symbolic tools as part of their "own" languages.

But so what ?

The fact is the very form and format of the Chinese language is not conducive to generating the symbolic language spontaneously and automatically on its own.

I think history has clearly demonstarted that. The very fact that you are using partial
symbolic language only after (not before) you have been educated within the western cultural system (be it math, science or whatever) only serves to attest the truth of that statement.