China’s R&D spending hits record 2.8% of GDP, beating OECD average for the first time

For the first time, China’s spending on research and development as a share of gross domestic product has surpassed the average for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members – a trend one analyst expects to continue as Beijing seeks to strengthen technological self-reliance amid intensifying global competition. R&D expenditure exceeded 3.92 trillion yuan (US$584.8 billion) in 2025, accounting for 2.8 per cent of GDP, Science and Technology Minister Yin Hejun said at a...