China moved into the top 10 of the United Nations’ annual ranking of most innovative countries for the first time on Tuesday, replacing Europe’s largest economy, Germany, as firms in Beijing invest heavily in research and development.
Switzerland retained first place, a position it has held since 2011, followed by Sweden and the United States, while China secured 10th place in the Global Innovation Index (GII) survey of 139 economies, which ranks nations based on 78 indicators.
The GII survey showed that China is on track to become the world’s biggest R&D spender as it rapidly narrows the gap in private sector financing.
At the same time, the outlook for global innovation faces challenges from declining investment. The survey noted that R&D growth is expected to slow to 2.3% this year from 2.9% last year, marking its lowest level since 2010 after the financial crisis.
China contributed about a quarter of international patent applications in 2024, remaining the largest source, while the United States, Japan, and Germany—which together account for 40% of total applications—each recorded slight declines. Ownership of patents is widely regarded as a key indicator of a country’s economic strength and industrial know-how.
Commenting on Germany’s drop to 11th place, GII co-editor Sacha Wunsch-Vincent said, “Looking at the long-term, Germany should not be alarmed by its fall to 11th place,” noting that the rankings did not reflect the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the US.
WIPO Director General Daren Tang added, “The challenge for Germany is how…, alongside its strong, decades-long status as a really powerful engine of industrial innovation, to become a powerhouse of digital innovation.”
The remaining countries in the list’s top 10 behind the US and ahead of China were, in order: South Korea, Singapore, Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, and Denmark.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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