In 2024, President Xi Jinping announced eight actions to support global development, including the launch of the Open Science International Cooperation Initiative, together with Brazil, South Africa and the African Union.¹ This initiative aims to advance global scientific and technological innovation and broaden access to knowledge across the Global South.

As a longstanding champion of open science, Springer Nature is committed to ensuring that research is trusted, accessible, and globally impactful. For more than two decades, we have supported the transition to open access (OA) through high quality publishing, strong partnerships with institutions and funders, and services that help researchers maximise the visibility and reach of their work. Through continued collaboration with the research community in China and worldwide, we aim to advance an inclusive and sustainable OA ecosystem that benefits all.

Part of our support to the research community is through providing evidence-based studies such as this white paper, which highlights the growing impact of China’s OA research. The evidence is clear: gold OA is amplifying the reach, visibility, and influence of China’s research, with measurable benefits for both China and its international partners. Chinese OA articles receive more citations and downloads from the Global South than comparable non-OA articles, and leading institutions and high-impact disciplines all experience this increased global footprint.

The findings also show that openness is reshaping collaboration. Co-authored OA research between China and the Global South is rising quickly, generating strong citation impact and strengthening scientific cooperation. These collaborations are addressing shared challenges in areas such as health, energy, food security, and climate action, aligning closely with global priorities, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Yet perhaps the most compelling story is one of momentum. China’s researchers are increasingly positive about open access. Domestic journals are growing in influence through OA publishing, and China’s global partnerships are deepening in ways that reflect a broader commitment to openness, inclusion, and knowledge sharing.

As the world becomes more interconnected and its challenges more complex, the need for open, equitable scientific exchange has never been clearer. China has a vital role to play in shaping that future. By continuing to invest in gold OA, supporting collaboration with the Global South, and aligning openness with national research priorities, China can help accelerate innovation not only at home, but across the global research ecosystem.

We hope that this white paper contributes to this conversation by offering new insights, strengthening understanding, and helping policymakers, funders, institutions, libraries and researchers consider how openness can drive scientific progress for all.

¹ Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. (2024, December 10).
习近平宣布中国支持全球发展的八项行动 [Xi Jinping announced eight initiatives by China to support global development]. https://undg.mofcom.gov.cn/zhxx/art/2024/art_f599bc2999294fdf8628e06e25b8bbf3.html