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How China Governs Open Science: Policies, Priorities, and Structural Imbalances

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  • Xiaoting Chen

    (School of Information Resources Management, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    Groupe d’Étude des Méthodes de l’Analyse Sociologique de la Sorbonne, GEMASS, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75017 Paris, France)

  • Abdelghani Maddi

    (Groupe d’Étude des Méthodes de l’Analyse Sociologique de la Sorbonne, GEMASS, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 75017 Paris, France)

  • Yanyan Wang

    (School of Information Resources Management, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

Abstract

This article investigates the architecture and institutional distribution of policy tools supporting open science (OS) in China. Based on a corpus of 199 policy documents comprising 25,885 policy statements, we apply an AI-assisted classification to analyze how the Chinese government mobilizes different types of tools. Using Qwen-plus, a large language model developed by Alibaba Cloud and fine-tuned for OS-related content, each policy statement is categorized into one of fifteen subcategories under three main types: supply-oriented, environment-oriented, and demand-oriented tools. Our findings reveal a strong dominance of supply-oriented tools (63%), especially investments in infrastructure, education, and public services. Demand-oriented tools remain marginal (11%), with little use of economic incentives or regulatory obligations. Environment-oriented tools show more balance but still underrepresent key components like incentive systems and legal mandates for open access. To deepen the analysis, we introduce a normalized indicator of institutional focus, which captures the relative emphasis of each policy type across administrative levels. Results show that supply-oriented tools are concentrated at top-level institutions, reflecting a top-down governance model. Demand tools are localized at lower levels, highlighting limited strategic commitment. Overall, China’s OS policy mix prioritizes infrastructure over incentives, limiting systemic transformation toward a more sustainable open science ecosystem.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoting Chen & Abdelghani Maddi & Yanyan Wang, 2025. "How China Governs Open Science: Policies, Priorities, and Structural Imbalances," Publications, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-24, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:13:y:2025:i:3:p:30-:d:1685527
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