China positions for clean sweep

Although Chinese cities hold the top eight spots in chemistry in this year’s science cities rankings, up from the top seven last year, there has been a considerable reshuffling in positions. Nature Index data show that although Beijing and Shanghai have maintained a clear lead, the growth in chemistry output from some of China’s smaller cities could mark them as future contenders in this field. Hangzhou, located southwest of Shanghai in Zhejiang province, jumped from 11th in 2022 to 7th in 2023, while the central city of Wuhan went from 7th to 4th after growing its adjusted Share by almost 12%.

While strengthening in all three other natural sciences, the southern city of Guangzhou has seen a negative change in its year-on-year adjusted Share (−7.4%) in chemistry, moving the city from 4th to 6th on the leading cities list for the subject. However, chemical-science investments on the horizon for Guangdong province, including a US$10-billion project to build an integrated chemicals site in the city of Zhanjiang, could have positive knock-on effects for Guangzhou, the provincial capital, in the near future.

Tokyo has seen a slow decline in its Science Cities chemistry placing over the past four years, falling from 4th in 2020 to 9th in 2023. Just behind this is New York, which had a 6.5% fall in its adjusted Share from 2022 to 2023. It is likely these two cities will face continued pressure from the growth of regional Chinese cities in the coming years given that the Nature Index is a zero-sum game — gains in Share by some cities are inevitably offset by losses elsewhere.

This trend is confirmed further in the rising cities list for chemistry, in which Chinese locations hold every position of the top 10 for change in Share from 2019 to 2023. Although Shenzhen has achieved the greatest percentage increase of these 10 cities in the past five years (89.5%), it is Beijing, with its much larger research base, that has had the greatest growth in adjusted Share (up 254.93). This is not as large as Beijing’s growth in other Nature Index subjects, but it has helped China’s capital maintain its lead in chemistry, with its 2023 Share of 1,714.88 much higher than that of second-place Shanghai (1,059.83).

Contributing to Beijing’s dominance in chemistry is the collaboration between Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ (CAS) Institute of Chemistry, the leading institutional partnership in the city for the field. Although strong partnerships have helped power Beijing into top position, Hefei’s leading collaboration is notable, as it suggests the city — fifth globally for chemistry — has the institutional power required for long-term growth in this field.

Within Beijing, the Institute of Chemistry, CAS and Peking University are also involved in productive partnerships with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, according to a network map showing the bilateral research connections between the city’s leading five institutions. Tsinghua University, which boasts a high individual Share in chemistry, has a lower bilateral collaboration score with other leading institutions in the city.

This article is part of Nature Index 2024 Science cities, a supplement produced with financial support from the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park. Nature maintains full independence in all editorial decisions related to the content. For more information about Nature Index, see the homepage.