China's research output continues to grow rapidly in 2024 with Beijing maintaining its position as the top science city in the world, according to the latest Nature Index global science city rankings released on Thursday.

The Chinese capital has reinforced its leadership in the science cities rankings, and is followed by Shanghai, which has overtaken New York, in the Nature Index, which tracks contributions to research articles published in high-quality natural-science and health-science journals.

The Nature Index data also revealed a significant shift this year, with half of the top 20 science cities now in China. The country's provincial capitals – once relatively unknown in the West – are now competing alongside long-established scientific centers in Europe and North America.

Simon Baker, chief editor of Nature Index, commented that the emergence of these cities as competitive research centers is fueled by a combination of scientific advancement, economic policy and political strategy.

As China seeks to broaden the reach of its knowledge and innovation, many of these rapidly developing cities are specializing in key technological sectors like electric vehicles and solar energy, and "their local goals are very much aligned to national strategies to bolster the country's economic self-sufficiency, such as 'Made in China 2025,' a policy designed to shift the country towards knowledge-driven high-tech industries," said Baker.