The Rise of China and the Global Production of Scientific Knowledge

Hyejin Ku () and Tianrui Mu ()
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Hyejin Ku: University College London
Tianrui Mu: University College London

No 17866, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper examines how China’s growing research capabilities impact global research universities across scientific fields. Using bibliometric data from 1980 to 2020, we assess the effects of the “China shock” on high-impact publications, novel concepts, and citation patterns. Our analysis reveals a positive net effect in Chemistry and Engineering & Materials Science (EMS), but a negative effect in Clinical & Life Sciences (CLS). In other fields, the effects are mostly positive but imprecise. We highlight the coexistence of competition and spillover effects, with their relative strength shaped by field characteristics, such as expansion potential and the quality of China’s research.

Keywords: ideas; knowledge production; China shock in science; competition; spillovers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 J24 O31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna, nep-cse and nep-lma
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