China’s R&D spending keeps up steady rise as No 1 US seeks further funding cuts

China’s R&D investment grew by 8.2 per cent last year – fuelled by double-digit growth in fundamental science and university funding – in sharp contrast with deep budget cuts across the US research sector.

Total investment in research and experimental development crossed 3.9 trillion yuan (US$583 billion) in 2025, “maintaining a trajectory of steady growth”, the National Bureau of Statistics said when releasing the data on Friday.

State news agency Xinhua noted on Friday that in the five years to 2025, China’s R&D spending grew at an average annual rate of 10 per cent, placing it at the forefront of the world’s major economies.