GENEVA (Realist English). China has entered the top 10 of the United Nations’ Global Innovation Index (GII) for the first time, overtaking Germany as companies in Beijing pour resources into research and development.
Switzerland maintained its top spot for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Sweden and the United States. China ranked 10th in the survey of 139 economies, which uses 78 indicators to measure innovation capacity and output.
According to the GII, China is on track to become the world’s largest spender on R&D as it rapidly narrows the financing gap in the private sector. However, the global innovation outlook remains clouded by declining investment, with R&D growth projected to slow to 2.3% this year from 2.9% in 2024 — the lowest since the 2010 post-crisis period.
China accounted for about a quarter of all international patent applications in 2024, cementing its position as the largest source. The U.S., Japan and Germany — together responsible for 40% of global filings — all saw modest declines. Patent ownership is regarded as a key marker of industrial strength and technological competitiveness.
Despite Germany’s drop to 11th place, GII co-editor Sacha Wunsch-Vincent said the country should not be overly concerned, noting that the new rankings do not reflect the impact of recent U.S. tariffs. World Intellectual Property Organization 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 other countries in the top 10 were South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
