China is currently the global leader in research for approximately 85-90% of critical technologies tracked by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), covering a broad range of advanced fields.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) maintains a specialized data project, the Critical Technology Tracker, which monitors high-impact research across a range of strategically significant fields. By tracking the top 10 percent of most-cited research papers globally, the institute provides an indicator of future technological development rather than current commercial dominance or manufacturing capacity.

Data released in a June 2026 update indicates that China holds a leading position in 69 of the 74 technologies monitored by the tracker, which equates to approximately 93 percent of the fields covered. This finding aligns with broader reporting that suggests China leads in nearly 90 percent of critical and emerging technologies tracked by the organization. It is essential to distinguish this measure of research output from other forms of economic influence, such as market share or industrial deployment, which the institute explicitly notes as different metrics.aspistrategist.org.auaspistrategist.org.auAspis Critical Technology Tracker in Ever More Technologies Chinas Research Is...This research is used by ASPI as a leading indicator of future technological capabilities and strategic advantage, rather than a measure of current industrial deployment or market dominanceaspi.org.auaspi.org.auCritical Technology TrackerThis research is used by ASPI as a leading indicator of future technological capabilities and strategic advantage, rather than a measure of current industrial deployment or market dominance+3 more

While the specific percentage fluctuates slightly with periodic data refreshes and the addition of new technologies to the tracker, the core assertion that China leads in the vast majority of these areas is supported by the most recent institutional data.aspistrategist.org.auaspistrategist.org.auAspis Critical Technology Tracker 2025 Updates and 10 New TechnologiesASPI Critical Technology Tracker: ASPI maintains a data-driven project that tracks "high-impact" research—defined as the top 10% of most-cited papers—across a range of strategically important fields Current Figures: As of the 2025 update...vertexaisearch.cloud.google.comvertexaisearch.cloud.google.comVertexaisearch ReportIn the early 2000s, the United States held a dominant position in the majority of these research areas Over the past two decades, China has steadily increased its research output and impact, resulting in its current position of leadership...