http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0123/c90000-20269843.html

According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, China’s total expenditure on research and experimental development (R&D) exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($494.69 billion) in 2024, marking an 8.3 percent year-on-year increase.

The intensity of R&D investment (the ratio of R&D expenditure to GDP) reached 2.68 percent, a 0.10 percentage point rise from the previous year.

From the perspective of international comparison, China’s R&D investment intensity ranks 12th among the major countries worldwide, surpassing the average level of 2.11 percent in EU countries, and further approaching the average level of 2.73 percent for OECD countries.

In addition, China’s investment in basic research has grown rapidly last year. In 2024, China’s expenditure on basic research totaled 249.7 billion yuan, growing 10.5 percent year-on-year. This growth exceeded the overall R&D expenditure growth rate by 2.2 percentage points.

China’s global innovation index rose to 11th place globally in 2024, cementing its position as one of the fastest-growing innovation-driven economies in the past decade, according to a report by gmw.cn.

In 2024, China issued 1.045 million new invention patents, up 13.5 percent year-on-year, and recorded 4.781 million trademark registrations, representing a 9.1 percent year-on-year growth. By the end of 2024, China had 14 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, with the number of valid domestic invention patents totaling 4.756 million, becoming the first nation in the world to exceed 4 million.