On November 29, the 18th China Science and Technology Journals Development Forum in Nanjing witnessed the official release of the Blue Book on the Development of Science and Technology Journals in China (2023). Compiled by the Society Service Center of China Association for Science and Technology, the Blue Book, led by Academician Yang Wei, sheds light on the remarkable growth of scientific and technical journals in China.
As of the end of 2022, China boasts a total of 5,163 scientific and technical journals, including 434 English ones. The Blue Book, an annual endeavor since 2017, serves not only as a historical record of the evolution of Chinese science and technology journals but also as an objective "scientific ruler" offering quantitative insights. Liu Yadong, Director of the Society Service Center of China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), emphasized the importance of the Blue Book in guiding the ongoing reforms in Chinese science and technology journals. Beginning in 2020, the English version of the Blue Book has been made globally accessible.According to the latest release, China's scientific and technical journals have seen substantial growth from 4,973 in 2018 to 5,163 in 2022. Notably, the count of English-language scientific and technical journals has surged from 333 to 434 during the same period. The three leading disciplines in terms of the highest number of journals are "Clinical Medicine" (182), Earth Science (145), and Biology (97). The Blue Book continues to be a vital resource for understanding and fostering the development of science and technology journals in China.
The landscape of Chinese scientific and technical journals reveals a dispersed network of supervisors, sponsors, and publishers. Notably, the majority of publishers are associated with the editorial boards of individual journals, and this structure has seen minimal alteration from 2018 to 2022. A breakdown of the first organizers highlights that, in 2022, there are 3,218 first organizers for the 5,163 Chinese scientific and technical journals, averaging 1.60 journals per organizer. Furthermore, there are 4,440 publishing units, with an average of 1.16 journals per publishing unit. The leading publishers, based on the number of scientific and technical journals published, are China Science and Technology Publishing and Media Company Limited (Science Press) with 145 titles, Chinese Medical Journal Society Limited (Journal of the Chinese Medical Association) with 144 titles, and Tsinghua University Press Company Limited with 22 titles.
A pivotal revelation from the Blue Book data is the increasing influence of Chinese scientific and technical journals. The composite total citation frequency, representing the cumulative number of citations received by the literature published by a journal since its inception, serves as a barometer of overall journal influence. In 2021, the compound total citation frequency of Chinese scientific and technical journals reached 9,377,600 times, marking a 17.73% increase compared to 2018. This attests to the growing impact and recognition of these journals in the scholarly landscape.
The international influence of Chinese science and technology journals is on a notable ascent, reflecting the rapid strides in China's scientific and technological landscape. According to Peng Bin, editor-in-chief of China Science and Technology Publishing and Media Corporation (Science Press), who contributed to the Blue Book, the visibility and role of China's science and technology journals in global academic exchanges have grown significantly. An increasing number of these journals are being incorporated into internationally renowned databases.
As of September 2023, a substantial 2,066 Chinese scientific and technical journals have found a place in international databases. Notably, 386 of these are English journals, constituting 88.94% of the total 434 English scientific and technical journals in China. This marks a noteworthy increase of 35 journals compared to the previous year, showcasing a widening global reach.
Furthermore, the Blue Book highlights the growing trend of articles published by foreign authors in China's SCI journals. The proportion of such articles rose from 9.53% in 2013 to its peak at 19.76% in 2020. While there was a slight dip to 18.11% in 2022, this remains a significant indicator of the international collaboration and recognition of Chinese scientific output.
By the end of 2022, China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) boasted 257 publicly published science journals, constituting 4.98% of the total number of science and technology journals. This underlines China's increasing contribution and representation in the global scientific community.
