A few weeks before winners of Nobel prizes 2025 were announced to the world, an official Chinese newspaper published an article highlighting the mismanagement of research funds and other problems within Chinese institutions dedicated to scientific studies.

If left unaddressed, these problems are likely to continue to limit China’s success in achieving scientific breakthroughs that are recognized by Nobel prizes.  Widely considered to be the world’s most prestigious awards, Nobel prizes in scientific categories have only been awarded to TU Youyou, the first mainland Chinese scientist honored as a Nobel laureate in a scientific category, and a few other scientists with Chinese backgrounds.  As the issues with Chinese institutions that have been unearthed have the potential to adversely affect China’s mission to build “new quality productive forces”—the core of which seeks to achieve revolutionary breakthroughs in technology—remedial measures are being rolled out to ensure that the country’s greatest scientific minds are fully utilized and supported.

Problems in China’s Scientific Research Institutions

“These cases involved misappropriation of scientific research funds committed by personnel from universities and research institutions […].”

A study conducted in 2020 by XU Dai, Vice Dean of Jilin University’s School of Law and Vice President of the Chinese Society of Criminology, which searched for “corruption” and “scientific research funds” as keywords within the case database of China’s Supreme People’s Court (i.e., https://wenshu.court.gov.cn), led to the identification of nearly 70 related criminal judgments for the period spanning from 2014 to 2019.  These cases involved misappropriation of scientific research funds committed by personnel from universities and research institutions, usually in the form of using fake invoices.  All of these defendants except one were found guilty and almost half of them were the deans of research institutes, directors of research centers, or members of research offices.

For example, one such case—with case number (2018) Zhe Xing Zhong No. 27)—was featured in a publication of the Supreme People’s Court in 2021.  The two defendants were then-president of Zhejiang Ocean Academy (currently Zhejiang Ocean University) and a faculty member of the academy.  Apart from being subject to fines, the two were sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and 2.5 years’ imprisonment (suspended for three years), respectively, for misappropriating scientific research funds.

These problems were also highlighted in a recent article originally published  on the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and China’s National Supervisory Commission (collectively referred to as the “Discipline and Supervisory Commissions”).  The article emphasizes the need to “accelerate the construction of a strong country in science and technology” by strengthening political supervision and deepening anti-corruption efforts.

The article specifically refers to a letter sent by President XI Jinping in 2019 to the Chinese Academy of Sciences to celebrate the academy’s 70th anniversary. In the letter, President Xi expressed his hopes that the academy would “stay true to its original aspiration and mission” and “strive to seize the commanding heights of science and technology” so as to help transform China into a world power in science and technology.  To follow this spirit, the Discipline and Supervisory Commissions focus on promoting reforms in the Chinese Academy of Sciences by, inter alia,  “resolutely eliminating the [performance] appraisal model of simply counting papers [published], looking at ‘titles’ [acquired], and calculating funds [raised]” and improving “the supervision and control mechanisms for the management and use of scientific research funds”.

Remedial Measures at the Local Level

In line with the above reform spirit promoted at the top level of China’s political hierarchy, localities have begun introducing remedial measures to ensure the proper use of scientific research funds.

• Measures Introduced in the Capital of Beijing

In Beijing, the document titled Measures for the Administration of Basic Scientific Research Operating Funds of Beijing Municipal Universities was issued in June.  Primarily sourced from Beijing’s fiscal funds, the “Basic Scientific Research Operating Funds” mentioned in the Measures are to be used to support research activities carried out by young faculty members at public undergraduate universities affiliated with the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.   These young researchers are strongly encouraged to lead the establishment of “scientific research platforms” to meet the “strategic needs of the country and Beijing and the development needs of [their] universities”.

“With respect to the management of these research funds, Article 14 of the Measures provides for the use of a ‘negative list’ system.”

With respect to the management of these research funds, Article 14 of the Measures provides for the use of a “negative list” system.  Under this system, project leaders are required not to use the funds for improper purposes, such as repaying loans, supporting other research projects, or covering their universities’ “public management and operating expenses”.  Project leaders found to engage in conduct prohibited by the “negative list” will be subject to various punishments, including suspension of project funding or termination of their projects.  In addition, the project leaders will receive “negative credit records” that will affect their career development.  In serious situations involving the commission of crimes, these leaders will be prosecuted.

• Measures Introduced in a Small District in Zhejiang Province

Around the same time Beijing introduced the above measures, Ouhai District—a small but technologically accomplished district in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province—took a step along the same lines to support the district’s research activities.

With an area of only 466 square kilometers and a population of less than half a million, Ouhai District had an annual GDP of RMB 97.63 billion in 2024.  The district is home to nearly 2,000 technological companies of different sizes, which are an important source of nearly 750 invention patents and 6,100 other patents registered by entities in the district in 2024.

In June, the district issued the Measures of Ouhai District for the Administration of Key Scientific Research Projects and Funding Uses.  Key scientific research projects, as mentioned in these Measures, refer to “scientific and technological research and development and related scientific and technological progress activities” formulated and organized by Ouhai District’s Science and Technology Bureau.  These projects are to be supported by the district’s fiscal science and technology funds.

To ensure the proper management of the funds for supporting these key scientific research projects, the Measures require such funds to be disbursed in installments: 60% of the funds must be sent to a project at the beginning, while the remaining 40% is disbursed upon successful completion of the project.  To determine the successful completion of a project, a process is established to examine various characteristics of the project through a review of materials, including the contract, summary report, final budget report, audit report, and documents verifying the research results.

Final Remarks

Measures similar to those implemented in Beijing and Ouhai District are likely to be introduced across China within a short time.  All of these measures are expected to be implemented prudently given that what is at stake is not just the potential loss of Nobel prizes among Chinese scientists, but the ambition of China’s top leaders to guide the country’s participation in the race to lead the world in high-tech achievements.

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• The citation of this article is: The Editorial Board of SINOTALKS^®, Nobel Prizes and China’s Scientific Research, SINOTALKS.COM^®, SinoExpress™, Oct. 15, 2025, https://sinotalks.com/sinoexpress/nobel-prize-china-science. ↩︎

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