China is set to increase its investment in basic scientific research for 2026, with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) allocating 41.86 billion yuan (approximately $6.15 billion) for its Natural Science Fund. This marks a 6.09% increase from 2025, reflecting a significant boost in central government support. This category alone accounts for nearly 82% of the foundation’s total general public budget expenditure for the year.
The increased funding will be distributed across 18 scientific program categories, including innovation research groups, youth science funds, and regional projects. Since its inception in 1986, the NSFC has evolved into a primary funding channel for Chinese science, supporting roughly 880,000 projects and nearly 5 million researchers over the past four decades.
Credit : CGTN