It stands first in physical sciences, chemistry, biological sciences, applied sciences, and earth and environmental sciences.

The 2026 Nature Index Research Leaders rankings show that China remains the world’s leading contributor to research output and is the only country among the global top 10 to record double-digit growth, with its adjusted Share rising 22.4 percent from 2024 to 2025.

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The rankings add to a series of international assessments pointing to China’s sustained progress in scientific research, while its growing high-quality output is reshaping the global research landscape and creating new opportunities for international cooperation, analysts said.

Among the seven subject areas covered by the expanded Nature Index, China ranked first globally in physical sciences, chemistry, biological sciences, applied sciences, and earth and environmental sciences.

Chinese institutions occupied the top 31 positions in applied sciences and the top 14 in chemistry, while nine of the top 10 institutions in earth and environmental sciences came from China.

An analysis published by Nature noted that China’s output in chemistry has increased by nearly 350% since 2015. In 2025, China accounted for 53% of the global chemistry Share measured by the Nature Index, far ahead of the United States, which ranked second with 15 percent.

The latest edition of the Nature Index also expanded its coverage to include applied sciences and social sciences. In the social sciences, a field long dominated by the United States, Tsinghua University entered the global top five institutional rankings.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Academy of Sciences ranked first overall among academic, government, corporate and healthcare institutions, leading in five subject areas except health sciences and social sciences.

China had nine institutions among the world’s top 10, one more than in last year’s rankings. The number of Chinese institutions in the overall top 100 also increased from 47 to 51.

In the academic institution rankings, Zhejiang University surpassed Harvard University to take the top position, ending Harvard’s run at the summit that began in 2015, while Chinese institutions occupied the remaining nine places in the top 10.

Published regularly by an institution under Springer Nature, the Nature Index is widely regarded as one of the world’s key indicators for measuring research contributions in relevant fields.

This year’s edition expanded its coverage to include 17 applied-science journals, one conference proceeding and 15 social-science journals. Its signature metric, Share, measures the contribution of countries, regions and institutions based on the proportion of authorship assigned to research papers.

HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH RESHAPES GLOBAL LANDSCAPE

Commenting on the latest rankings, Nature Index analysts said the results underscore China’s growing prominence in global research output and reflect the changing global distribution of scientific strength.

As fewer Western institutions occupy the top positions, China is reshaping the global map of leading research organizations.

In an interview with Xinhua earlier this year, Nature Editor-in-Chief Magdalena Skipper recalled that when she first joined the publisher many years ago, papers from China were rarely seen in the journal. By 2025, however, more than 200 papers published in Nature listed researchers from China as corresponding authors.

According to academic statistics in recent years, China has long ranked first globally in research paper output while also demonstrating strong research quality. “In many scientific fields, papers from China are the most highly cited,” Skipper said.

The findings are echoed by other international assessments, which also point to China’s continued progress in scientific research. A report released by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in late March said China’s research leadership in critical technologies had become a “structural condition.”

Another international report published by the World Intellectual Property Organization in February said China is playing an increasingly prominent role in innovation and has significantly improved its level of international openness in science.

China’s growing research output has also contributed to expanding international scientific cooperation. An accompanying article published by the Nature Index noted that joint research papers between China and South Korea in natural sciences and health sciences increased by around 50 percent between 2023 and 2024, making it one of the fastest-growing major scientific partnerships worldwide.

An editorial published by The Lancet argued that the rise of China’s research represents a global opportunity and highlights the importance of international cooperation in advancing scientific progress. 

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Source: Xinhua

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