China vs France: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

China
2.6%
in 2023
France
2.2%
in 2023
China rank
16th
France rank
18th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • China
  • France
11.522.5200020112023

How they compare

China currently reports 2.6% against 2.2% in France, a difference of 0.4%.

That makes China's figure about 1.2 times France's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was France ahead.

China ranks 16th and France ranks 18th of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and France in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade China France Difference Ahead
2000s 1.2% 2.1% 0.9% France
2010s 2.0% 2.2% 0.2% France
2020s 2.5% 2.2% 0.2% China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, China or France?
China, at 2.6% against 2.2% in France as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between China and France?
0.4%, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and France?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do China and France rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
China ranks 16th and France ranks 18th of 121 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs France: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/china/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
143 places, 2,753 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed