Science in China

R&D

Main article: Research and development in China

2023

China builds world's deepest dark matter search lab

In early December 2023 China , the world's deepest search laboratory was launched - dark matter a hypothetical form of matter that does not participate in electromagnetic interaction. A research site called China Jinping Underground Laboratory is located at a depth of approximately 2,400 meters under Mount Jinping in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan. More. here

China overtakes US for first time in scientific journal publications

In 2022, China came out on top in the world in the number of publications in major scientific journals. China accounted for a third of all scientific publications in a year in the world. This was announced on September 20, 2023 by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China under the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC.

Of the 54,002 papers published last year in 159 journals with the highest impact factor across 178 disciplines, 16,349 were submitted by Chinese authors. In 27% (94,500) of 350 thousand high-quality studies published in 371 international journals with a high impact factor and citation, the first authors were immigrants from Chinese institutions. About 650 thousand references were made to the work of Chinese scientists, which is also the best indicator in the world.

China comes out on top in the world in the number of publications in major scientific journals

China is steadily gaining momentum in the scientific field. In 2016, for the first time in history, China surpassed the United States in the annual number of scientific and engineering publications. Their number exceeded 426 thousand against about 409 thousand from American authors.

In addition, in March 2023, China overtook the rest of the countries in the number of scientific developments in key technological areas, a study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute showed. The PRC leads in 37 out of 44 studied areas, in some of them - significantly overtaking all others: for example, supercapacitors, nanotechnology, aircraft engines, synthetic biology, etc. China is also the absolute leader in the world in the number of patent applications.

The development of science in China is the result of centralized policy. In 1993, the PRC Law on Scientific and Technical Progress came into force, the state allocation for science and technology, as well as the central budget for scientific research, significantly increased. And 10 years later, in 2003, China became the world's third space superpower, independently conducting manned flights.^[1]

How state support for young scientists is implemented in China

The peak of major innovations in China falls on scientists aged 35-45 years, and the authors of primary ideas for them are most often researchers aged 20-30 years. This was announced on September 7, 2023 by the National Research University "Higher School of Economics."

China has formed a multi-level career development system in the field of science and technology. In general, more than 220 programs were adopted at the central and local levels to support scientific and technical personnel from 2013 to 2021. Financing of young talents is carried out mainly at the expense of scientific funds. In particular, since 2021, the National Fund of Natural Sciences of the PRC has a special program aimed at attracting young specialists from abroad. The average grant for the project varies from 234.2 thousand yuan (3.16 million rubles at the exchange rate as of September 18, 2023) under the program to support young researchers to 4 million yuan (54 million rubles) - under the program for "extraordinary."

The authors of primary scientific ideas in China are often researchers aged 20-30 years

Chinese researchers under the age of 35 can receive grants from the Postdocs Support Science Foundation. In 2022, its budget amounted to 915.5 million yuan (12.36 billion rubles), which made it possible to finance the projects of 9,420 young scientists. Another support measure is to reduce the administrative burden: young researchers get more opportunities to participate in large national projects, and their employers must provide all possible assistance in a number of areas. As part of the National Project for the Support of Young Scientific and Technical Talents, the Chinese Association of Science and Technology forms a national reserve of such personnel, annually selecting a group of promising researchers and engineers under the age of 32, who are allocated material support in the amount of 100 thousand yuan (approximately 1.35 million rubles) per year for three years.

In addition, the PRC has various scientific awards and awards initiated not only by the state, but also by business. Thus, the "Chinese Youth Prize in Science and Technology" is awarded every two years for outstanding contribution to research in the field of natural and technical sciences: it is awarded to no more than 100 laureates. The New Cornerstone Science Foundation (for scientists under the age of 45 working full-time in China) and the Green Orange Award (for young scientists under the age of 35) also operate^[2]

Chinese scientists for the first time overtook American in their contribution to publications in the world's leading scientific journals

China has become the leader in the number of publications in journals in the natural sciences, overtaking the United States. Such data are given in the study, the results of which were released on May 24, 2023.

The ranking used Nature Index statistics as of April 2023. The Nature Index database reflects the publication activity of scientific institutions around the world based on the analysis of articles in 82 leading scientific journals. We are talking about publications that cover discoveries and research in such fields as astronomy, physics, chemistry, life sciences, earth sciences, etc.

China has become the leader in the number of publications in journals on natural sciences

It is said that the total number of mentions of Chinese scientific papers has increased due to numerous publications related to the sequencing of the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the dangerous infectious disease COVID-19. Overall, authors affiliated with Chinese scientific institutions and research organizations are more prolific compared to American counterparts in physical sciences, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences. The only category in which the US still leads is the life sciences.

Although China is ahead of the United States in the ranking, the two countries are the largest partners in terms of joint research. On the other hand, cooperation is difficult due to the deterioration of trade relations between the United States and China. It is also noted that many of the most cited articles of China in the field of natural sciences are created in close cooperation with international organizations.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and president of the PRC, said earlier that the country needs to become a world leader in scientific research. This partly explains the increase in the number of publications of Chinese articles in leading scientific journals.^[3]

2022: China overtakes the United States in the number and quality of scientific work

On August 10, 2022, a report by the Japanese Ministry of Science and Technology was published, stating that China leads the world in both the number of scientific papers and their citation, which is expected to increase the competitiveness of the country's economy and industry in the future.

The results of an analysis of scientific publications from 2019 to 2022 showed that China began to occupy a leading position in the number and quality of scientific papers. And if the PRC had no problems with the number of scientific publications for a long time simply because of the large number of the population and many specialized institutions, then doubts remained about their quality. However, now international agencies confirm that scientists around the world quote the work of Chinese scientists more often than research by specialists from other countries.

Economic and technological rivalry between China and the United States continues only to grow

Scientific papers are thought to be better the more often others refer to them. Based on the latest data from Clarivate, the National Institute for Scientific and Technical Policy of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Japan found that among the 1% of the most mentioned studies in the world, the first place belongs to scientists from China. They were referred to in 27.2% of cases (4744 works). In second place were scientists from the United States, who were referred to in 24.9% of cases (4330 works), the United Kingdom came out in third place - 5.5% of mentions. The figures given show the state for 2019.

China is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of both the number and quality of scientific work, "said Shinichi Kuroki, Deputy Director General of the Asia-Pacific Research Center of the Japan Agency for Science and Technology. To become a true world leader, the country needs to constantly conduct internationally recognized research[4]

2012: Launch of a program to train 10,000 high-level specialists in science and technology

In September 2012, it became known that the Chinese government initiated the implementation of a new program aimed at training 10,000 highly qualified specialists in the field of science and technology, under which they will be provided with various support, including financial.

The project is called the National Plan for the Special Support of High-level Talent, it is represented by the Chinese government's talent working group.

As its representatives assured, among the selected professionals, an additional 100 people will be allocated, potentially capable of making a breakthrough in their fields and becoming "world-class" experts.

Within the framework of these 10 thousand, 8 thousand people will be allocated who have achieved innovative results in science and technology, as well as in such areas as philosophy, social sciences, education and engineering. 2 thousand people under the age of 35 will be stimulated for the presence of outstanding potential for achieving innovative results in science and technology.

In addition to the money that will be used to support specialists and their projects, the program provides for the creation of more favorable conditions for research and the introduction of additional incentives.

Notes