Guangzhou (JLC), October 29, 2025--China's innovation index climbed 5.3% to 174.2 in 2024 due to improved scientific and technological capabilities, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday.
In breakdown, the sub-index for innovation environment increased 4.9%, while the input and output sub-indexes rose 5.1% and 8.1%, respectively. The index measuring innovation effectiveness gained 1.9%.
Among 18 indicators across the four areas, the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 R&D personnel and the share of science and engineering graduates in the working-age population have maintained rapid growth, with their expansion exceeding 10% for a third consecutive year, said Lin Mei, a statistician of the NBS.
The results indicate steady expansion in China's innovation capacity, facilitating the development of new growth drivers and supporting high-quality economic development, the bureau said.
China rose to 10th globally in the 2024 National Innovation Index, up from 20th in 2012, making it the fastest climber over the past decade and the only middle-income economy in the global top ten, a report released by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED) showed on March 31, 2025.
