Abstract
By introducing new policy initiatives, China is trying to change the evaluation of scientific research, shifting the focus from counting publication output to stressing high‐quality research, with the objective of achieving excellent science. Against this background, the scientific publication system itself is important for safeguarding high‐quality publications and high‐quality journals. However, the Chinese scientific publication system has some specificities and unique features, which also create particular challenges. This article describes the scientific publication system in China. It covers the Chinese ex‐ante journal licensing examination, the triple ownership management structure and provides an overview of the editorial process of Chinese scientific journals. It analyses how difficulties in the Chinese scientific publication system relate to concerns over research quality and integrity. We conclude with an agenda of the crucial issues facing the current Chinese attempts to promote quality in scientific publications.
Highlights
China’s science has displayed extraordinary growth rates, and its share in global science is increasing (National Science Foundation, 2018; Xie & Freeman, 2019)
This article provides an overview and update on the state of the Chinese scientific publishing system by identifying three of its crucial features, which are essential to understand its management and editorial operation. This includes the journal licensing system for ex-ante examination of new journals, a hierarchical, three-layer management model under state control, and the particular way its editorial policies were adopted from international peer review practices, but incompletely and based on its own antecedents
Based on an online search, Qing Fang (Fang, 2006) found that 103 of 122 Chinese academic journals claim they had implemented peer review, and he concluded that peer review as a basic mechanism for the review of manuscripts in academic journals had made an entry in China
Summary
China’s science has displayed extraordinary growth rates, and its share in global science is increasing (National Science Foundation, 2018; Xie & Freeman, 2019). The new policy shifts the focus from international publications as assessment criterion: one of these documents defines three types of high-quality publications, including as a first priority a list of Chinese domestic journals (Ministry of Science and Technology, 2020). This article provides an overview and update on the state of the Chinese scientific publishing system by identifying three of its crucial features, which are essential to understand its management and editorial operation This includes the journal licensing system for ex-ante examination of new journals, a hierarchical, three-layer management model under state control, and the particular way its editorial policies were adopted from international peer review practices, but incompletely and based on its own antecedents. The new journal can obtain a China standard serial number, which
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