China has expanded its π Index, the country’s first independent global research evaluation system, from life sciences and basic medicine into the field of physics, with plans to include chemistry next year. Announced at the 2025 Shanghai Science and Journal Development Conference, the move represents a major step toward building a China-led alternative to Western metrics such as the Nature Index and the SCI impact factor – systems many Chinese experts view as biased and unscientific.
The Physics π Index covers 119 journals worldwide, including top international titles such as Nature Photonics and Physical Review Letters, as well as 19 leading Chinese journals like National Science Review and Chinese Physics C.
Officials hope the π Index will encourage Chinese scientists to publish more in domestic journals, thereby strengthening the nation’s academic influence and global discourse power. Researchers see the initiative as an important step toward developing a self-reliant, high-quality evaluation system that rewards genuine innovation and contribution—rather than the blind pursuit of Western recognition.
Source: Xinhua, October 10, 2025
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