1 in Every 4 Scientific Papers Comes From China: What Happens Behind Closed Doors?

International cooperation in science and technology has recently been reshaped by security concerns. In particular, China's growing influence in scientific publishing and its strained relations with the United States have sparked new debates about research security worldwide.

A Look at the Numbers

In 1980, Chinese authors produced less than 2% of the research papers in the Web of Science database. By 2023, however, that share had risen to 25%. This indicates that China has overtaken the United States as the world leader in scientific publications (the US share is around 14%).

In 2022, Chinese companies also obtained a total of 40,000 patents classified as foreign-origin in the United States, far exceeding the 2,000 patents obtained by British companies in this category. This shows how active Chinese companies are in obtaining patents and how far ahead of the United Kingdom they are in this area.

Türkiye's Share Is Around 1.5%

According to TÜBİTAK data, in 2023 Türkiye produced approximately 50 thousand scientific publications indexed in Web of Science. In the same year, China published around 898 thousand scientific papers. Türkiye's 50 thousand scientific publications account for approximately 1.5% of scientific publications worldwide.

China's Science and Technology Strategy: Secrecy and Intensive Production

China is intensively developing its scientific and technological activities to gain an advantage in the technology race and often keeps this work secret. Methods used to acquire Western technologies include forced technology transfers, industrial espionage and cybertheft. For example, US intelligence agencies and technology companies have documented the illegal acquisition of Western innovations by Chinese entities over many years. This strategy has allowed China to rise rapidly in global innovation rankings and become a leader in areas such as artificial intelligence and 5G. It has also raised concerns about international norms and intellectual property rights.

Does Greater Security Mean Less Cooperation?

The renewed bilateral science and technology agreementbetween the United States and China provides a concrete example of these concerns by narrowing the scope of cooperation and adding mechanisms for resolving disputes. Other major powers, including the European Union, Canada and Japan, have also begun to introduce similar security measures. Could these measures threaten the scientific progress enabled by international cooperation?

Science and Technology: Can Progress Happen Behind Closed Doors?

Science depends on the free movement of ideas and talent across borders. International collaborations account for approximately 25% of scientific papers and generally have a greater impact. However, when security concerns restrict this free movement, scientific innovation may also be put at risk.

What Solutions Are Available?

Various strategies could be developed to preserve international collaboration while balancing security concerns. For example, ethics boards and security assessment committees could be used more effectively to safeguard research security. Creating secure platforms for information sharing and cooperation could also improve transparency in scientific work.

Conclusion: Bridging Openness and Security in Science

International cooperation in science and technology is vital to both scientific progress and global security. Although stronger security measures are needed, it is essential that they do not stifle scientific openness. Research institutions around the world need to implement these new requirements in a way that encourages cooperation and openness rather than suspicion or isolation. Science advances through open dialogue and collaborative work, not behind closed doors.