Chinese Academy of Sciences

Chinese Academy of Sciences
Seal of the Academy
Other name中国科学院 (Native Name)
Parent institutionState Council of China
FounderGovernment Administration Council of the Central People's Government (merged to the State Council in 1954)
EstablishedNovember 1949; 76 years ago (1949-11)
FocusNatural sciences
PresidentHou Jianguo
Staff71,300 (2023)
Key peopleWu Zhaohui, Vice President
BudgetCN¥171 billion (2023)
SubsidiariesSee list
Formerly calledAcademia Sinica (1949–1980s)
Address52 Sanlihe Rd, Xicheng, Beijing, China
Location
Nationwide
,
China
Websitewww.cas.cn Edit this at Wikidata
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Simplified Chinese中国科学院
Traditional Chinese中國科學院
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōngguó Kēxuéyuàn

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS; Chinese: 中国科学院) is the national academy for natural sciences and the highest consultancy for science and technology of the People's Republic of China. It is the world's largest research organization, with 106 research institutes, 2 universities, 71,300 full-time employees, and 79,000 graduate students, and ranked first in the 2025 SCImago Institutions Rankings.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republican era and was formerly also known by that name until the 1980s. The academy functions as the national scientific think tank and academic governing body, providing advisory and appraisal services on issues stemming from the national economy, social development, and science and technology progress. It is headquartered in Beijing, with affiliate institutes throughout China. It has also created hundreds of commercial enterprises, Lenovo being one of the most famous.

CAS also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both of which were among the world's top three academic institutions in the Nature Index rankings as of 2024. CAS has also founded and spun off multiple companies, such as Sugon and GoLaxy.

Membership

CAS headquarters building front in 2017

Membership of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also known by the title Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (中国科学院院士), is a lifelong honor given to Chinese scientists who have made significant achievements in various fields. According to the Bylaws for Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences adopted in 1992 and recently amended in the year 2014, it is the highest academic title in China. A formal CAS member must hold Chinese citizenship, although foreign citizens may be elected as CAS foreign academicians. Members older than 80 are designated as "senior members" and may no longer hold leading positions in the organization. Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences carry an obligation to advance science and technology, to advocate and uphold scientific spirit, to develop a scientific and technological workforce, to attend member meetings and receive consultation and evaluation tasks, and to promote international exchanges and cooperation. Academicians can give suggestions and influence Chinese state policy related to science and technology.

History

At its founding in November 1949, CAS included many scientists who had studied in Western countries or worked for institutions of the Kuomintang government (like the Academia Sinica or the Beiping Academy).: 45, 51  This resulted in worries by some in PRC leadership about the ideological orientation of CAS's members.: 45 

CAS formed its Institute of Hydrobiology in February 1950.: 21  War and conflict in the late Qing era and Republic of China era had damaged aquaculture and ruined aquaculture farms across China, and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders recognized the socioeconomic importance of reviving aquaculture.: 19  The Institute of Hydrobiology focused on improving the genetic quality of the "Big Four" carp species, developing optimal practices for mixed-species farming, codifying knowledge on feeding and farm management, and developing improved fishpond fertilizer.: 21 

In 1956, China formally began its computing program when it launched the Twelve-Year Science Plan and formed the Beijing Institute of Computing Technology under the CAS.: 100 

In 1964, CAS debuted China's first self-developed large digital computer, the 119.: 101  The 119 was a core technology in facilitating China's first successful nuclear weapon test (Project 596), also in 1964.: 101 

Beginning in 1972, CAS began promoting the idea of balancing applied research with more theoretical research and in having scientific exchanges with other developing countries.: 74 

As vice premier, Deng Xiaoping in 1975 also sought to re-orient CAS towards more theoretical research, which had not been a focus during the Cultural Revolution.: 74  Deng emphasized that "the Academy of Sciences is an Academy of Sciences, not an Academy of Cabbage.": 74  Deng assigned CAS vice president Hu Yaobang to draft a plan for overhauling CAS.: 74  Deng and his aide Hu Qiaomu revised the draft and in September 1974 issued "The Outline Report on the Work of the Academy of Sciences".: 74  The Outline described scientific research in China as lagging behind the needs of socialist construction and the state of the advanced countries, and stated that to catch up, China should emphasize basic science in order to develop a sound theoretical foundation.: 74 

This approach to scientific reform fell out of political favor in 1976 when Deng was purged, although it continued to be supported by many members within CAS.: 75  A month before Deng's political return in 1977 however, the Outline Report was revived and adopted as CAS's official policy.: 81  During the Reform and Opening Up era, CAS discontinued its Soviet-style management model.: 151 

Shortly after his return, Deng hosted a series of meetings on science and education in which he stated that science should become the forerunner of China's modernization.: 82  Following these remarks, CAS prepared its goals for natural science disciplines to be achieved by 1985, stating that as a developing socialist country, China should strengthen basic scientific research through foreign exchanges.: 82 

To further promote this agenda, Deng began a campaign to promote the National Science Conference.: 82  A team led by CAS vice president Fang Yi instructed schools, factories, and communes to organize youth-focused events celebrating science and technology.: 82 

In 1977, the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences was split off from CAS and reorganized into the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, led by Hu Qiaomu.: 86–87 

CAS expanded to 110 research institutes by the end of 1978.: 81 

In 1980, the CAS publication Journal of Dialectics of Nature convened its first annual National Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, which included national and international scholars like Herbert A. Simon.: 42  The second annual symposium announced The Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI).: 42  CAAI has continued to be the largest AI association in China as of 2025.: 42 

Between 1984 and 1987, CAS began helping its members to "jump into the sea" and establish science and technology firms.: 97 

The Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was established in 2001 as a successor to the Graduate School of the University of Science and Technology of China (Beijing).The Ministry of Education (MOE) approved the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) application to change its name to the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) on July 23, 2012. Additionally, the MOE recommended that CAS discontinue the operation of the CAS Graduate School. In 2023, the Pasteur Institute suspended ties with CAS.

Main entrance to Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, CAS, in Ningbo, Zhejiang
Institute of Computing Technology Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tianma 65-meter Radio Telescope in Shanghai Astronomical Observatory
Purple Mountain Observatory
South China National Botanical Garden
Kunming Institute of Botany
UCAS
Chinese Academy of Sciences Documentation and Intelligence Center

Scientific integrity

On 26 February 2007, CAS published a Declaration of Scientific Ideology and set up a commission for scientific integrity to promote transparency, autonomy, and accountability of scientific research in the country. Around that same time, the Ministry of Science and Technology also initiated measures to address misconduct in state-funded programs.

CAS also publishes the Early Warning List, which notes journals with a lack of rigor and possible predatory practices.

Publications

Science China
LanguageEnglish
Standard abbreviations
ISO 4Sci. China

Together with the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the academy publishes the peer-reviewed academic journal, Science China (also known as Science in China). Science China comprises seven series:

CAS also promotes the China Open Access Journals (COAJ) platform, a national variant of the international Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

Awards

Since 1999, the CAS has issued the annual State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, presented by the President of China to the recipient.

Ranking and reputation

CAS has been ranked the No. 1 research institute in the world by Nature Index since the list's inception in 2014 by Nature Portfolio.

It was the most productive institution publishing articles on sustainable development indexed in the Web of Science from 1981 to 2018 among all universities and research institutions in the world.

The academy also runs the University of Science and Technology of China and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, both of which were among the world's top three universities in the Nature Index ranking as of 2024.

In 2024, Clarivate's Highly Cited Researchers list contained 308 CSA members. This made CSA researchers the largest group on the list by institution, and the sixth largest by country.

International cooperation

The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth is a branch of CAS. The Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth was a customer of Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which provides data transmission services from satellites for a wide range of societal functions. It was reported by Reuters on 21 September 2020 that SSC decided not to renew the contracts with China to help operate Chinese satellites from SSC's ground stations, or seek new business with China.

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Profile----Chinese Academy of Sciences". English.cas.cn.
  2. ↑ "www.cas.cn" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  3. ↑ KÜHNER, HANS (1984). "Between Autonomy and Planning: The Chinese Academy of Sciences in Transition". Minerva. 22 (1): 13–44. doi:10.1007/BF02207555. ISSN 0026-4695. JSTOR 41820552. PMID 11611662. S2CID 21494880. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "中国科学院章程----中国科学院". www.cas.cn. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "cas.cn" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Research and Innovation Rankings 2026". Scimagoir.com. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "中国科学院教育简介 — 中国科学院". Chinese Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 22 May 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 "2024 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions | Nature Index". nature.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  9. ↑ "2024 Research Leaders: Leading institutions | Nature Index". nature.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  10. ↑ Barnes, Julian E. (6 August 2025). "China Turns to A.I. in Information Warfare". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "中国科学院院士章程 [Bylaws for Members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences]". Chinese Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 16 September 2014.[permanent dead link]
  12. ↑ "Obligations and Rights of a CAS Member". Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Kennedy, Andrew B. (2026). Rebellious Follower: China's Search for Science, Technology, + Innovation. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/9780197824689.001.0001. ISBN 9780197824658.
  14. 1 2 3 Yi, Jongsik Christian (2026). "Possibilities and Limitations of Mass Science: Hydrobiologist Nie Dashu and the Making of Knowledge on Fish diseases Before the Great Leap Forward". In Ho, Christine I.; Schmalzer, Sigrid (eds.). A Revolution Across Art and Science: Participatory Knowledge Production In China's Great Leap Forward. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 9789888946778.
  15. 1 2 3 Mullaney, Thomas S. (2024). The Chinese Computer: a Global History of the Information Age. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. ISBN 9780262047517.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Minami, Kazushi (2024). People's Diplomacy: How Americans and Chinese Transformed US-China Relations during the Cold War. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9781501774157.
  17. ↑ de Seta, Gabriele (2025). "Technologies of Clairvoyance: Chinese Lineages and Mythologies of Machine Vision". In Bratton, Benjamin; Greenspan, Anna; Ireland, Amy; Konior, Bogna (eds.). Machine Decision Is Not Final: China and the History and Future of Artificial Intelligence. Urbanomic, MIT Press. ISBN 9781913029999.
  18. 1 2 3 Frost, Shuang L. (2025). "Translating Chinese AI: From 'Humanmade Intelligence' to 'Black Tech'". In Bratton, Benjamin; Greenspan, Anna; Ireland, Amy; Konior, Bogna (eds.). Machine Decision is Not Final: China and the History and Future of Artificial Intelligence. Urbanomic, MIT Press. ISBN 9781913029999.
  19. ↑ Mallapaty, Smriti (8 March 2023). "Prestigious Pasteur Institute severs ties with China infectious disease lab". Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-023-00694-x. PMID 36890326.
  20. ↑ The Lancet (17 March 2007). "Reforming research in China". The Lancet. 369 (9565): 880. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60419-X. PMID 17368128. S2CID 205948464.
  21. ↑ "国际期刊预警名单-中国科学院文献情报中心 期刊分区表团队". ewl.fenqubiao.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  22. ↑ "Science in China Press". Science in China Press. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  23. ↑ "中国科技期刊开放获取平台". China Open Access Journals. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "China in Brief – Science and Technology – Awards". China Internet Information Center (State Council Information Office and the China International Publishing Group). Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  25. ↑ "Nature Index tables 2012–2013". Nature. 515 (7526): S98–S108. 2014. doi:10.1038/515S98a. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 25390156.
  26. ↑ "Nature Global Institutions Ranking, 2013–2014". Nature. 522 (7556): S34–S44. 2015. doi:10.1038/522S34a. ISSN 0028-0836.
  27. ↑ "2016 tables: Institutions". Nature Index. Springer Nature. 2016. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  28. ↑ "2025 Research Leaders - 2025 Research Leaders". www.nature.com. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  29. ↑ Li, Rita Yi Man; Li, Yi Lut; Crabbe, M. James C.; Manta, Otilia; Shoaib, Muhammad (24 May 2021). "The Impact of Sustainability Awareness and Moral Values on Environmental Laws". Sustainability. 13 (11): 5882. Bibcode:2021Sust...13.5882L. doi:10.3390/su13115882. hdl:10547/624990. ISSN 2071-1050.
  30. ↑ Parr, Chris (19 November 2024). "China increases share of highly cited researchers as US declines". Research Professional News. Archived from the original on 19 November 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  31. ↑ SSC. "Appendix of SSC's Chinese customers" (PDF). SSC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  32. ↑ Ahlander, Johan; Barrett, Jonathan (21 September 2020). "Swedish space agency halts new business helping China operate satellites". Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.

Sources