China Closing In on US as Leader in Global Science, Study Shows

China is on track to lead the world in science — at least by one revealing measure.

An analysis of almost 6 million research papers shows that Chinese scientists are taking the helm in almost half of all collaborations with US counterparts, a shift that underscores Beijing’s growing influence in setting the global research agenda.

The study, published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that Chinese-based scientists filled 45% of leadership roles in US-China joint studies in 2023, up from 30% in 2010. If the trend holds, China will reach parity with the US in ...