As US President Donald Trump’s administration scales back America’s leadership in science and tertiary education through deep funding cuts and restrictive immigration policies, China has been consolidating its position as a leading player in science and innovation.
With a long-term vision and a multifaceted strategy, China is rapidly transforming its scientific landscape and reshaping the global hierarchy of cutting-edge research and development.
This strategic pivot gained momentum in 2018, amid escalating tensions from the US-China trade war. President Xi Jinping’s call for high-level sci-tech self-reliance has triggered massive investments in high-tech manufacturing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biomedicine.
These efforts have borne fruit: China now produces its own robots and medical devices, while its electric vehicle industry and artificial intelligence startups — such as DeepSeek — are gaining international recognition. These successes reflect China’s growing capacity to innovate independently and compete with Western counterparts.
In contrast, the Trump administration’s “America First” doctrine has had a chilling effect on the US research ecosystem. In 2025, US federal funding for science was slashed dramatically: The National Science Foundation faced a proposed 56 percent budget cut, and the National Institutes of Health saw a 39 percent reduction. These cuts triggered hiring freezes and layoffs at leading institutions like Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and the University of California, Los Angeles. UCLA, notably, lost $584 million in medical and science research grants because of politically charged accusations. Such disruptions have destabilized American research institutions and discouraged international scientists from pursuing careers in the US. The impact on international education has been equally profound. Nearly half of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) master’s degrees and over half of STEM doctorates in the US are awarded to international students. Yet, visa restrictions, heightened scrutiny and anti-immigrant rhetoric have made the US less attractive. Many students and researchers are now looking elsewhere — and China has emerged as a compelling alternative.
China’s strategy to attract global talent is both comprehensive and aggressive. China’s programs like the Thousand Talents Plan and the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas) offer generous financial incentives, research funding, and housing subsidies to scientists trained abroad. The latter, administered by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), provides grants of 1 million yuan ($139,800) to 3 million yuan to researchers under 40 with at least three years of postdoctoral experience overseas. In 2025, the NSFC expanded this initiative, likely in response to the exodus of US-based researchers facing budgetary constraints.
Local governments and universities have joined the recruitment drive. Rural counties such as Gulin in Sichuan province offer lump-sum payments and monthly allowances to PhD holders willing to relocate. Cities like Taizhou and provinces like Hunan provide resettlement bonuses and research support to attract overseas graduates. Leading universities — including Peking University and Zhejiang University — offer internationally competitive salaries, performance-based bonuses, and access to elite kindergarten-through-12th-grade education for faculty children. These packages, rarely matched elsewhere, reflect China’s commitment to building a world-class academic environment.
By capitalizing on disruptions in the US research ecosystem, investing heavily in domestic innovation and offering unparalleled incentives to global talent, China is reshaping the global scientific landscape
Beyond individual incentives, China has restructured its research institutions to foster innovation and collaboration. Over 300 State Key Laboratories have been reorganized to promote partnerships between academia and industry. For example, the State Key Laboratory for Photovoltaic Science and Technology now operates through a collaboration between Trina Solar and Fudan University, accelerating solar energy innovation. Similarly, the Intelligent Pharmacy Institute at China Pharmaceutical University integrates AI with drug discovery, streamlining pharmaceutical research and development.
China’s rise in scientific output is also evident in global metrics. According to the Nature Index, China has surpassed the US in high-quality natural-sciences publications. This reflects a strategic shift toward “organized research”, characterized by centralized resource mobilization, mission-driven science, and cross-institutional collaboration. The establishment of the Central Science and Technology Commission in 2023 further institutionalized this model, aligning research priorities with national goals and reinforcing the government’s role in shaping the scientific agenda.
Despite its emphasis on self-reliance, China remains committed to international collaboration. In May 2024, it launched a significant initiative for Intergovernmental International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation, funding 169 projects with a budget of 304 million yuan. These efforts underscore China’s desire to remain engaged in global “big science” initiatives, even as it seeks to insulate itself from geopolitical pressures.
Because of rising tensions, US-China collaborations have declined in recent years. In response, China has recalibrated its academic priorities to emphasize domestic research and publication. National directives now encourage scientists to publish in Chinese journals and address local issues. This shift aims to reduce dependence on Western academic systems and foster indigenous innovation, further reinforcing China’s scientific autonomy.
China’s international scientific strategy was formally codified in 2023 with the release of the International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative by the Ministry of Science and Technology. This policy emphasizes openness, inclusiveness and innovation-driven development, promoting cross-border collaboration and joint responses to global challenges such as climate change, health, and food security. By September 2023, China had established sci-tech partnerships with multiple countries, and its R&D spending exceeded 3 trillion yuan — demonstrating its commitment to global engagement.
This strategic alignment also supports President Xi’s Global Development Initiative, which leverages science and technology for sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and climate action. China’s efforts include launching a global science research fund, expanding South-South cooperation, and implementing the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan. These initiatives not only enhance China’s scientific influence but also position it as a significant force in addressing global challenges.
By capitalizing on disruptions in the US research ecosystem, investing heavily in domestic innovation and offering unparalleled incentives to global talent, China is reshaping the global scientific landscape. As the US grapples with internal challenges and policy reversals, China’s ascent may well mark the beginning of a new era in global scientific development.
The author is a research professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
