China leads research in 57 of 64 critical technologies
Who produces the most-cited research in 64 critical technologies, 2003–07 (marker) vs 2019–23.
The US led 60 of 64 critical technologies in 2003–07. By 2019–23 it led just 7.
China went from leading 3 technologies to leading 57, from batteries to drones to advanced materials.
In 2025 China's share of top science papers (Nature Index) was double the US's.
the numbers
| 2019–23 | 2003–07 | |
|---|---|---|
| China | 57 | 3 |
| United States | 7 | 60 |
source notes & method
Lead = largest share of the top 10% most-cited papers in each technology. Measures research output, not industrial capability. Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders: China 52,735 vs US 26,006. Corrected 3 Nov 2026: removed "now" from the title (the data covers 2019–23); no change to the data.
Published 22 Sep 2026
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