China set to supersede US in research output

[Shuimo]

Isn't this a telling indicator of the Chinese aspiration and action to aim to be the top country in the world?


Fastest growing global economy China will overtake the US within the next decade in terms of research output, reveals a Thomson ******* study. According to the research report, there is an “explosive growth” in research output from China, far outpacing research activity in the rest of the world

By IWR News Desk, Information World Review (http://www.iwr.co.uk/) 03 Nov 2009
Currently China ranks second to the US after surpassing the UK, Germany and Japan in 2006.
Called Global Research Report: China, the study found that China’s output increased from around 20,000 research papers in 1998 to nearly 112,000 in 2008. The nation doubled its output since 2004 alone.
It also found that the nation’s research is concentrated in the physical sciences and technology. Materials science, chemistry and physics predominate. According to the study, rapid growth can be seen in agricultural sciences and life sciences fields such as immunology, microbiology, and molecular biology and genetics.

“If China’s research growth remains this rapid and substantial, European and North American institutions will want to be part of it,” said Jonathan Adams, director of research evaluation at Thomson *******. “China no longer depends on links to traditional G8 partners to help its knowledge development. When Europe and the US visit China they can only do so as equal partners.”
The study is based on data found in Web of Science, available on the Web of Knowledge citation platform. It suggests that the US stands out in terms of collaboration with China, US-based authors contributed to nearly 9% of papers from China-based institutions between 2004 and 2008.
The latest report forms part of the Global Research Report series from Thomson ******* that illustrates the changing landscape and dynamics of global research around the world. It aims at informing policymakers about the research and collaboration potential of China and its current place in world science.
http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/news/2252431/china-set-supersede-research

[Mango Madness]

The quality of research and application of research is subpar compared to America though, all China does is copy stuff so far, huge lack of innovation.

[gaijinsamurai]

How much of it was stolen from the people who actually did the work?

[CMNot]

I don't get it. If China has such huge research output, why is my University full to bursting with Chinese students?

[Clear_blues]

I don't get it. If China has such huge research output, why is my University full to bursting with Chinese students?
stealing your secrets....

[Bitogno]

The quality of research and application of research is subpar compared to America though, all China does is copy stuff so far, huge lack of innovation.
Didn't we say the same thing about Japan 40 years ago ?

[SniperLane]

when will we see a chinese copy of a chinese copy of a russian assault rifle... i wonder when this becomes the best there is? maybe 10-20 years from now xD

[Estopped]

Didn't we say the same thing about Japan 40 years ago ?

They certainly did.

China is going to be an economic superpower in the very near future. They haven't even tapped 10% of their potential imo.

[the_13th_redneck]

I don't know what scares me more.
The determined and effective effort the Chinese are making.
Or us laughing at it.

[Switek]

There's naive conviction that quantity will turn into quality.... ;)

[the_13th_redneck]

Actually it does.
Raise salary of education centers = can attract better professors.
Give more grants for research = can attract better scientists.
Grant more scholarships = more Chinese students go to top academic institutions, gain employment, and return to China with a lot of valuable information.
Quantity can be changed into quality.

[SniperLane]

"Quantity has a quality all its own"

guess who said it ;)

[Solvent]

I don't get it. If China has such huge research output, why is my University full to bursting with Chinese students?

More Chinese students go oversea is only a sign of economy growth not a sign for research output, because not like before when majority of Chinese student had to depend on scholarship to go oversea, nowadays, some people can do it by self supporting.

The heavy investing on R&D just picked up in recent years. It takes time for China's research institutions to develop.

[the_13th_redneck]

We're screwed guys... we're screwed...

[Eventine]

Quantity is not quality, but it's a start. If the government of China is determined to raise research quality, however, it needs to think about restructuring aspects of the education system.

[Switek]

You guys forget about something more... I'd name it overall atmosphere for real development what is mix of competition, multiculturalism and open, unbiased, attitude which contains ability of creating and abolishing theories and paradigms... and finally challenge and visions

[bono]

research papers != research
Most research papers are well and truly worthless.

Real research in US is done by commercial organizations, in China each and every company is busy looking for ways to steal or "borrow" technology. No one in this world would collaborate with any Chinese company because next day the deal will be off and the Chinese will produce copies of foreign partner's drawings as its own.

The real problem is that China has no effective intellectual property laws, till it respects other people's rights, its own people will never be productive.

[SniperLane]

how could they recognise said laws if they depend exactely on the lack of them, i mean would they ever stop stealing and "copying" others technology if its up solely to them, i think not.

[shoora]

They have different approach to science. Avoiding risky projects they put money only in research with 'guaranteed' kickback.
It is more engineering than science.

The real problem is that China has no effective intellectual property laws, till it respects other people's rights, its own people will never be productive.
Do you want to say that only research divisions or IBM, Boeing, Intel and Xerox promote progress? And all these MIT, Berkley, Ctanford etc. has nothing to do with science.
Intellectual property law work with progress in both ways. In different situations it can push forward as well as pull backwards. In case of China, disregard to patents and stuff help them close gap with other countries.
After all we all use paper, compass, rockets, gun powder and other chinese stuff without paying them royalties. I think, we even.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

China will implode before they become a threat. To many things working against it.

[bono]

China's top universities are B level research centers bcause all top talent flies away to US and west.

If there is no respect for intellectual property laws then your own people will never be able to create new technologies and use them for progress. Why would anyone innovate if they know tomorrow someone would steal their hardwork and knowledge. China can't produce one single world class real high tech product, (their experience with defence high tech is there for everyone to see). The reason is simple, its goverment encourages stealing and its own people are not innovative because there is no point in creating your own technology.


They have different approach to science. Avoiding risky projects they put money only in research with 'guaranteed' kickback.
It is more engineering than science.

Do you want to say that only research divisions or IBM, Boeing, Intel and Xerox promote progress? And all these MIT, Berkley, Ctanford etc. has nothing to do with science.
Intellectual property law work with progress in both ways. In different situations it can push forward as well as pull backwards. In case of China, disregard to patents and stuff help them close gap with other countries.
After all we all use paper, compass, rockets, gun powder and other chinese stuff without paying them royalties. I think, we even.

[CS1.6]

about the China's research and inovation capability, i dont have much to say, it totally sucks!!!

there are more than 1000 universities in China, but all of them, yes, all of them, they sucks!! i graduated from one of the top ones, it sucks!! but there is one big difference between the top ones and the low ones: the top ones have more students to go to abroad for furthur study and the low ones have much less.

about the Chinese companies, even the so-called high-tech companies, they dont put much attention on researching; Chinese companies are pride to say their products are the cheapest and many western companies are pride to say their products are the most advanced, are the best.

There is a big problem in China's Higher education system, but the bigger problem is: everybody knows it, nobody can do anything about it.

[the_13th_redneck]

You guys forget about something more... I'd name it overall atmosphere for real development what is mix of competition, multiculturalism and open, unbiased, attitude which contains ability of creating and abolishing theories and paradigms... and finally challenge and visions

True enough, but if the Chinese hire some top scientists to develop some kind of new tech, they'll do it. Heck, even the Soviets managed to do a decent job with technological research. If the Chinese really adopt Confucianism, they'd be doing us a huge favor because that would be one giant step backwards and would destroy any hope of innovation whatsoever.

[shoora]

about the Chinese companies, even the so-called high-tech companies, they dont put much attention on researching; Chinese companies are pride to say their products are the cheapest and many western companies are pride to say their products are the most advanced, are the best.
Not long time ago same was true for Japan. Now Japan considered as one of the most technologically advanced society. We'll see...