China's high quality research output grew 37% from 2012 to 2014, according to new analysis of Nature Index data. The United States saw a 4% drop over this period in the same Nature Index metric (weighted fractional count; WFC).
The Nature Index 2015 China supplement, publishing with Nature on December 17, shows China's total contribution to high-quality science has risen to become the second largest in the world, surpassed only by the United States.
While chemistry and physical sciences are prominent in China's Nature Index contribution, accounting for 61% and 30% of its total WFC respectively, the life sciences contribution is growing almost as rapidly (30% increase from 2012 to 2014).
China's ten most productive cities in the Nature Index by WFC in 2014 are Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Hefei, Changchun, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Tianjin. They made a combined contribution of 70.4% of China's WFC.
Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing remain the dominant scientific centres. Beijing has the highest number of institutions contributing to the Nature Index in China and the city is particularly strong in chemistry and physical sciences. Shanghai has less than half the total number of institutions of Beijing in the index, but its top 10 are as strong as the capital's top 10. Like Shanghai, almost 60% of Nanjing's output in the Nature Index is in chemistry. Nanjing University contributed more than half of the city's overall 2014 output in the index.
Between 2012 and 2014, Xi'an, Chengdu and Hangzhou experienced some of the fastest WFC growth rate, largely driven by chemistry. Xi'an in particular experienced an exceptional rise in the relative increase of its WFC of 142%, while Chengdu and Hangzhou rose 78% and 55% respectively.
The Nature Index data also identifies Shenzhen, Beijing and Wuhan as China's industrial research powerhouses, home to corporations making a significant contribution to research, especially in cutting-edge life sciences. Shenzhen in particular has experienced a remarkable transformation into a research-based industry hub and companies based there now account for almost half of the country's international patent filings.
Three Chinese cities stand out for their collaborative orientation. While Hong Kong and Hefei institutions have formed a record number of partnerships with their international peers. Tianjin scientists have focused on forging local links, mainly between Nankai and Tianjin universities.
China's top five university contributors are Peking University, Nanjing University, Tsinghua University, University of Science and Technology of China, and Zhejiang University.
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