China overtakes US in medical research amid science balance of power shift: top publisher
Country is ‘now global leader in scientific publishing and output’, Fred Fenter, chief executive editor of Swiss-based Frontiers, says
The days when Silicon Valley and leading American universities led the way in shaping the future of science may be ending, as China overtakes the United States not only in research output but in some cutting-edge fields, according to one of the world’s leading academic publishers.
“When I looked into data from Digital Science’s Dimensions database, I can see a widening gap between China and the United States in research output.
“By 2024, Chinese researchers had published 1.1 million articles, compared to 880,000 from their US counterparts,” Fred Fenter, chief executive editor of the Switzerland-based publisher Frontiers, said in an interview.
While the US has traditionally been seen as leading in medical research, recent publishing trends tell a different story.
“In 2023, China accounted for 40 per cent of papers in the medical field, a share that actually rose to just over 50 per cent in 2024,” Fenter said.
“In energy research, China is already the clear global leader, producing around 35 per cent of all papers in the field – and with significant impact.
“There is no doubt that China is now the leader in scientific publishing and output. Other indicators, such as patents, further reinforce that China has surpassed the US not only in volume but also in high-quality scientific production.”
China’s scientific rise was becoming a model for other nations, particularly Vietnam, he added.
“We recently met with a Vietnamese delegation that has ambitious plans to dramatically increase R&D investment, hoping to replicate the benefits China has reaped over the past 15 to 20 years,” he said.
China’s growing influence was also reflected in the identification of key future technologies.
Frontiers, a partner of the World Economic Forum, used its publishing data to help select this year’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies – fields expected to become critical within five to 10 years, including artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and engineered living therapeutics.
China made significant contributions to three of these technologies: green nitrogen fixation, next-generation nuclear energy and generative watermarking.
Fenter highlighted the work done by Li Hailong and Yang Zequn from Central South University on green nitrogen fixation, outlining a cleaner pathway for global agriculture.
He also said a study co-authored by Tian Wenxi from Xian Jiaotong University highlighted how advances in nuclear technology were redefining atomic energy’s role in a low-carbon future.
Next-generation fission reactors promise improved safety, higher fuel efficiency, and can help reduce radioactive waste.
In addition, China has directed substantial funding towards generative watermarking, a technology that places invisible markers into AI content to allow it to be traced back to its source, in an effort to build digital trust in AI systems.
With more Chinese universities and publishers moving towards launching their own journals and platforms, Fenter described this as a natural evolution.
“It’s perfectly logical that as China solidifies its position as an international scientific leader, it also builds the infrastructure needed to publish its growing share of research.”
To stay competitive, Frontiers is adopting AI and other tools to improve efficiency – from detecting academic fraud and matching reviewers to streamlining editorial processes.
“Perhaps within five years, scientific publishing may undergo a fundamental transformation driven by AI,” Fenter added.