Evolving landscape of US-China science collaboration: Convergence and divergence

Abstract

International research collaboration among global scientific powerhouses has exhibited a discernible trend towards convergence in recent decades. Notably, the US and China have significantly fortified their collaboration across diverse scientific disciplines, solidifying their status as a national-level duopoly in global scientific knowledge production. However, recent reports hint at a potential decline in collaboration between these two giants, even amidst the backdrop of advancing global convergence. Understanding the intricate interplay between cooperation and disparity within the US-China relationship is vital for both academia and policy leaders, as it provides invaluable insights into the potential future trajectory of global science collaboration. Despite its significance, there remains a noticeable dearth of quantitative evidence that adequately encapsulates the dynamism across disciplines and over time. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study delves into the evolving landscape of interaction between the US and China over recent decades. This investigation employs two approaches, one based on paper identifiers and the other on researcher identifiers, both obtained from bibliometric data sourced from OpenAlex. From both approaches, our findings unveil the unique and dynamic nature of the US-China relationship, characterised by a collaboration pattern initially marked by rapid convergence, followed by a recent phase of divergence.