China tops 2026 Nature Index, Russian scientist Oganov declares it No 1 science power
Synopsis
Russian chemist Artem Oganov, awarded China's top international science honour by President Xi Jinping, declared China the world's No 1 science power — a verdict backed by the 2026 Nature Index, which places China ahead of the US based on 125,000+ articles in 178 leading journals.
Key Takeaways
China ranks No 1 in the 2026 Nature Index , which analysed over 125,000 research articles published in 178 leading journals in 2025 , with the US in second place.
Artem Oganov , professor at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow , received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award from President Xi Jinping in Beijing .
China now accounts for a third of all global scientific publications, according to Oganov , who emphasised quality as well as quantity.
Oganov first predicted China would become the world's top science power after visiting in 2008 , a view dismissed by European peers at the time.
Nine international experts in total received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award at the Beijing ceremony.
China has surpassed the United States to become the world's leading science power, according to Artem Oganov, a distinguished Russian chemist and materials scientist who received China's top international science and technology honour in Beijing last week. Oganov's declaration is backed by the 2026 Nature Index, which ranks China first among nations based on an analysis of over 125,000 research articles published in 178 leading scientific journals in 2025.
The Award and the Verdict
Oganov, a professor at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow and a long-time collaborator with Chinese research institutions, was among nine international experts presented with the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a ceremony in Beijing. Accepting the recognition, he said the honour from the world's No 1 science power confirmed he was 'on the right track.' The award is China's highest accolade for foreign contributors to its scientific development.
A Prediction Vindicated
Following a visit to China in 2008, Oganov told colleagues and friends across Europe that the country was 'on the way' to becoming No 1 in both industry and science — a forecast that was met with widespread scepticism at the time. Speaking on Monday, 14 July 2026, he said that 18 years on, 'China is No 1 — in industry, in economy, and indeed also in science.' He noted that America had previously held the top scientific position.
Why It Matters: Numbers and Quality
China now accounts for a third of all global scientific publications, according to Oganov, who stressed that the dominance is not merely quantitative. He pointed to the quality of output as equally significant, a distinction that separates raw publication volume from genuine research leadership. The 2026 Nature Index — widely regarded as one of the most rigorous measures of high-impact scientific output — places China first and the US second, lending institutional weight to his assessment.
The Competitive Backdrop
China's rise in science comes amid intensifying geopolitical friction with Washington, including restrictions under programmes such as the China Initiative that have complicated academic collaboration between the two countries. Despite those headwinds, Chinese institutions including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and universities such as the Chinese University of Hong Kong have continued to attract and produce world-class research talent. The gap between China and the US in the Nature Index marks a structural shift that analysts say has been building for over a decade.
What's Next
The trajectory suggests China's scientific lead in the Nature Index is likely to widen as state investment in research and development continues to grow. For the global scientific community, the shift raises questions about where future breakthroughs in materials science, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology will originate. Institutions in Europe, the US, and across Asia-Pacific will be watching whether China's quantitative dominance translates into Nobel-level recognition and commercialised innovation in the years ahead.
Point of View
Accelerated by sustained state investment and a deliberate policy of recruiting overseas-trained talent back home. What mainstream coverage often misses is that this shift is structural, not cyclical: even if US funding recovers or China Initiative-style restrictions ease, the pipeline of Chinese researchers and institutions is now self-sustaining. The geopolitical irony is sharp — Washington's export controls and academic restrictions, intended to slow China's technological rise, appear to have accelerated domestic scientific self-reliance. The more consequential question is whether scientific leadership in publications translates into the kind of commercialised, Nobel-recognised innovation that defines long-term technological power.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is China really the world's number one science power in 2026?
According to the 2026 Nature Index , China ranks first among nations in high-impact scientific research, ahead of the United States . The index is based on an analysis of over 125,000 research articles published in 178 leading journals in 2025 .
Who is Artem Oganov and why did he receive a Chinese science award?
Artem Oganov is a leading Russian chemist and materials scientist and a distinguished professor at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow . He received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award — China's highest honour for foreign scientists — from President Xi Jinping in Beijing in recognition of his long-standing collaboration with Chinese research institutions.
What share of global scientific publications does China produce?
China now accounts for approximately a third of all global scientific publications, according to Artem Oganov . He stressed that the dominance reflects quality as well as volume.
How does China's science ranking affect the US?
The 2026 Nature Index places the US in second position, ending its long-standing status as the world's top scientific power. The shift reflects over a decade of accelerating Chinese investment in research and development, and comes despite geopolitical friction including academic restrictions between the two countries.
Which Chinese institutions are driving the country's scientific rise?
Bodies such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and universities including the Chinese University of Hong Kong are among the key institutions contributing to China's research output. The country's broader network of state-backed universities and research centres has been central to building its position at the top of the Nature Index .
