China's R&D Intensity Surpasses OECD Average for First Time

China's research and development (R&D) intensity – measured as R&D spending as a share of GDP – reached 2.8 percent in 2025, exceeding the average level of OECD countries for the first time, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Monday at a conference on the country's economic performance. China also ranked among the world's top 10 economies in the Global Innovation Index for the first time in 2025, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization, said Kang Yi, head of the NBS. High-tech manufacturing recorded rapid growth in 2025. Output of 3D-printing equipment, civilian drones and industrial robots increased by 52.5 percent, 37.3 percent and 28 percent year on year, respectively. China's manufacturing sector continued its shift toward digitalization and automation. "Humanoid robots are entering factories," Kang said. By the end of 2025, China had built more than 500 excellence-level smart factories, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. "In sectors such as high-end equipment, green energy and intelligent manufacturing, both investment and output continued to expand," said Kang. Investment in information services increased by 28.4 percent, while investment in aircraft, spacecraft and equipment manufacturing rose by 16.9 percent, according to data released at the conference. The green economy also maintained strong momentum. Output of new energy vehicles exceeded 16 million units in 2025 – equivalent to an average of about 45,000 vehicles produced per day – with new energy vehicles accounting for more than half of domestic new car sales. In addition, power generation from clean energy sources – including hydropower, nuclear, wind and solar – at industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 8.8 percent year on year in 2025.