China's Top 2% Scientists 2025: Career-Long List

China has 12,375 scientists on the 2025 career-long Top 2% list, up 15.8% from 10,689 in 2024. That places China 3rd in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists (445), followed by University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (296).

Single Year

31,697

+4,531 (+16.7%) vs 2024

Career Data

12,375

+1,686 (+15.8%) vs 2024

World rank by count

up 1 place vs 2024

Institutes

1,432

+601 (+72.3%) vs 2024

Scientists in China on the list, by year

The career-long count has more than doubled since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+31.7%

2022+10.8%

2023+17.2%

2024+18.6%

2025+15.8%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	12,955		5,273
2021	16,611	+28.2%	6,943	+31.7%
2022	19,310	+16.2%	7,693	+10.8%
2023	23,487	+21.6%	9,013	+17.2%
2024	27,166	+15.7%	10,689	+18.6%
2025	31,697	+16.7%	12,375	+15.8%

Top 10 institutes in China

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2025

Show the list

1Tsinghua University445
2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences296
3Shanghai Jiao Tong University285
4Peking University220
5Harbin Institute of Technology214
6Huazhong University of Science and Technology212
7Central South University195
8Fudan University172
9Zhejiang University169
10Xi'an Jiaotong University165

All 12,375 scientists

Career-long list2025

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in China	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	1	Wang, Zhong Lin	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 1
2	88	RJ Robertson, John David	Wuhan University	Applied Physics	Rank 6
3	98	ZJ Zhu, Jian Kang	Southern University of Science and Technology	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1
4	127	XZ Xu, Zeshui	Sichuan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 6
5	134	HJ He, Ji Huan	Soochow University	Energy	Rank 2
6	175	DH Dai, Hongjie	The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 9
7	283	LH Li, Heng	Soochow University	Bioinformatics	Rank 1
8	398	MM Maes, Michael H.J.	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Psychiatry	Rank 12
9	489	DL Dai, Liming	Ocean University of China	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 19
10	526	ZZ Zhou, Zhi Hua	Nanjing University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 16
11	554	ZD Zhao, Dongyuan	Fudan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 23
12	590	WF Wilczek, Frank A.	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 7
13	608	Cao, Jinde	Southeast University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 21
14	686	YJ Yu, Jiaguo	China University of Geosciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 27
15	727	SJ Stoddart, James Fraser	Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 20
16	775	NC Nan, Cewen	Tsinghua University	Materials	Rank 10
17	813	WJ Wang, Jianlong	Tsinghua University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 3
18	863	LY Li, Yongfang	Soochow University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 30
19	954	LN Logothetis, Nikos K.	Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 92
20	969	ZZ Zhang, Zhengyou	Tencent	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 30
21	989	GH Gao, Huajian	Tsinghua University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 9
22	1,034	LY Luo, Yadong	Sun Yat-sen Business School	Business & Management	Rank 12
23	1,091	SY Shi, Yigong	Westlake University	Developmental Biology	Rank 66
24	1,163	ZR Zhang, Rui	The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 6
25	1,206	LY Liu, Yongjun	The First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University	Immunology	Rank 45
26	1,208	LK Lu, Ke	Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 17
27	1,403	LY Li, Yadong	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 41
28	1,496	LC Li, Can	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 9
29	1,598	SC Shi, Caijun	Hunan University	Building & Construction	Rank 2
30	1,705	TB Tang, Ben Zhong	The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 52
31	1,730	YS Yu, Shuhong	Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 53
32	1,736	SM Shahbaz, Muhammad	School of Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology	Energy	Rank 22
33	1,748	ME Ma, Evan	Xi'an Jiaotong University	Materials	Rank 25
34	1,784	GG Gadd, Geoffrey Michael	State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing	Microbiology	Rank 27
35	1,827	HB Hommel, Bernhard	Shandong Normal University	Experimental Psychology	Rank 32
36	1,857	ZY Zheng, Yong-Fei	University of Science and Technology of China	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 12
37	1,919	SJ Shi, Jianlin Ling	Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 55
38	1,954	GH Gleiter, Herbert	Nanjing University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 28
39	2,041	GK Guan, Kunliang	Westlake University	Developmental Biology	Rank 119
40	2,066	WX Wang, Xiaogang	Southwest University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 58
41	2,067	SH Shen, Hui shen	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 18
42	2,069	LX Li, Xianhua Huan	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 18
43	2,085	JY Junying Yuan, Junying	Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences	Developmental Biology	Rank 121
44	2,113	WM Wong, Ming Hung	The Education University of Hong Kong	Environmental Sciences	Rank 7
45	2,141	YY Yang, Yang (Michael)	College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 60
46	2,170	WG Wei, Guiwu	Sichuan Normal University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 63
47	2,190	WS Wei, Suhuai	Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo	Applied Physics	Rank 77
48	2,210	Guerrero, Josep M.	Zhejiang University	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 5
49	2,241	SM Santosh, M. Warrier	China University of Geosciences, Beijing	Geology	Rank 1
50	2,356	TS Tong, Shaocheng	Liaoning University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 66
51	2,439	XX Xie, Xiaoliang Sunney	Peking University	Chemical Physics	Rank 70
52	2,487	WF Wang, Feiyue	Institute of Automation Chinese Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 69
53	2,493	PX Peng, Xiaogang	Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University	General Chemistry	Rank 27
54	2,679	SR Sun, Runcang Cang	Dalian Polytechnic University	Polymers	Rank 12
55	2,786	LY Liu, Yu	Nankai University	Biotechnology	Rank 8
56	2,946	PM Poo, Muming	Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 267
57	2,959	CJ Chan, John Kwok Cheung	Queen Elizabeth Hospital Hong Kong	Pathology	Rank 10
58	2,962	DC Dong, Chen	Tsinghua University	Immunology	Rank 109
59	3,005	WW Wang, Weihua Hong	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 94
60	3,061	SG Song, Guangling	Southern University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 37
61	3,169	CY Cao, Yong	State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 73
62	3,249	LS Liao, Shijun Ijun	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 24
63	3,371	ZJ Zhang, Jiujun	Fuzhou University	Energy	Rank 43
64	3,405	CR Cai, Ronggen Geng	Ningbo University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 43
65	3,536	CT Cui, Tiejun Cui	Southeast University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 23
66	3,562	YH Yu, Hanqing	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 20
67	3,572	AZ An, Zhisheng	Institute of Earth Environment	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 32
68	3,577	CH Cheng, Huiming	Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 77
69	3,638	MS Ma, Shengming	Fudan University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 94
70	3,706	AM Anpo, Masakazu	Fuzhou University	Chemical Physics	Rank 104
71	3,720	TD Tocher, Douglas R.	Shantou University	Fisheries	Rank 2
72	3,757	SM Szyf, Moshe	Hong Kong SAR	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 325
73	3,870	FA Fujishima, Akira	University of Shanghai for Science and Technology	Energy	Rank 48
74	3,872	ZY Zhu, Yongguan	Chinese Academy of Sciences	Environmental Sciences	Rank 21
75	3,912	YA Yao, Andrew Chi Chih	Tsinghua University	Computation Theory & Mathematics	Rank 6
76	3,921	WE Weinan, E. W.	AI for Science Institute	Applied Mathematics	Rank 15
77	3,963	FB Fu, Bojie	Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences	Ecology	Rank 81
78	3,982	LY Liu, Yansui	Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences	Geography	Rank 10
79	4,058	DX Duan, Xiangfeng	Hunan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 85
80	4,103	CX Cao, Xue Tao	Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College	Immunology	Rank 159
81	4,122	SS Sun, Shaocong	Capital Medical University	Immunology	Rank 160
82	4,222	TM Tonetti, Maurizio S.	Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine	Dentistry	Rank 11
83	4,277	ZQ Zhang, Qiang	Tsinghua University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 89
84	4,285	AB Ainsworth, Barbara E.	Shanghai University of Sport	Public Health	Rank 32
85	4,287	WY Wang, Youfa	The First Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 37
86	4,289	LS Li, Stan Ziqing	Westlake University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 109
87	4,317	CC Chen, C. L.philip	South China University of Technology	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 110
88	4,493	TH Tian, He	East China University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 113
89	4,578	XQ Xu, Qiang	Southern University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 116
90	4,618	LP Liu, Peide	Shandong University of Finance and Economics	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 116
91	4,632	SD Shen, Dinggang	Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 117
92	4,660	LY Liu, Youhua	Southern Medical University	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 35
93	4,670	LH Li, H.	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 96
94	4,713	DF Ding, F.	Jiangnan University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 31
95	4,748	GJ Gâo, Jiali	Peking University	Chemical Physics	Rank 128
96	4,794	HN Huang, Norden E.	First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 57
97	4,812	HJ Hoffmann, Jules A.	Guangzhou Medical University	Immunology	Rank 187
98	4,824	ZS Zhou, Shufeng	Huaqiao University	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 32
99	5,031	CJ Chen, Jun	Nankai University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 99
100	5,095	MH Mao, Hokwang	Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research	Applied Physics	Rank 140
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2025

United States87,861 scientists

United Kingdom20,571 scientists

Germany12,166 scientists

Canada9,589 scientists

Japan8,730 scientists

Australia8,025 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2025

South Korea2,620 scientists

Taiwan1,898 scientists

Hong Kong1,482 scientists

Macau111 scientists

India3,371 scientists

Israel2,204 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from China are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

31,697 scientists affiliated with China are on the 2025 single-year list, and 12,375 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in China has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2025 career-long list, Tsinghua University has the most listed scientists from China, with 445. It is followed by University of Chinese Academy of Sciences with 296.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in China changed since 2020?

On the career-long list, China went from 5,273 scientists in 2020 to 12,375 in 2025, a change of +134.7%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.