China is Catching Up to the US in the Global Brain Race — 85 Scientists Have Moved to China Since Last Year, With More Than Half Arriving in 2025
China is catching up to the United States in the global race to attract the world’s smartest minds. A CNN tally shows at least 85 rising and established scientists who were working in the US have joined Chinese research institutions full-time since the start of last year, with more than half making the move in 2025. The trend unfolds as Washington pursues deep cuts to federal research budgets and tightens scrutiny of foreign talent, while Beijing pours money into homegrown innovation. If the current tempo continues, the balance of global scientific influence could tilt far sooner than many expect.
In This Article:
A Glittering Exodus: The Names Turning Heads
The departures read like a hall of fame: a Princeton nuclear physicist; a mechanical engineer who helped NASA explore manufacturing in space; a US National Institutes of Health neurobiologist; celebrated mathematicians; and more than six AI experts. These researchers did not just switch labs; they swapped entire career paths, joining Chinese universities and institutes full-time since last year. Experts describe this as a reverse brain drain that could test the United States’ long-standing ability to attract and retain top foreign scientists.
Why Now: Policy Shifts Fueling a Reverse Brain Drain
The momentum is linked to policy shifts in both countries. In the United States, proposals to cut federal research funding, heighten oversight of international researchers, and raise costs for foreign workers have added uncertainty for labs. In China, ambitious investment and expanded talent programs are widening opportunities for researchers at all levels. A chorus of scientists says the moment has been shaped by political dynamics. Yu Xie, a Princeton sociology professor speaking in China, described the American moves as a 'gift from Trump' that will help Chinese universities recruit stronger talent. 'You will see a proliferation of new, strengthened and improved research programs and training programs, in all different areas within China,' Xie said.
China’s Recruitment Engines: Programs, Pay and Promises
China’s government has built a well-established network of grant and recruitment programs that offer top researchers pay, housing stipends and access to substantial funding—even branding these opportunities as prestigious awards for overseas talent. Wuhan University posted online calls inviting talents from around the world to apply for professorships, highlighting generous pay packages and the possibility to match national grant funding of up to 3 million yuan (about $400,000). The packages often include access to dedicated research funds, priority funding, and family support. The central government’s fund for 'outstanding young talent' is a key lure for overseas researchers. In addition to academia, programs like Qiming place top researchers in China’s commercial tech sector, including the semiconductor industry, with an emphasis on AI and quantum science as strategic targets.
What This Means for Science — and the US
The shifts raise questions about whether the US can preserve its edge, even as China climbs in high-impact journals and global university rankings. Some worry about long-term consequences if the best minds leave, potentially draining American universities of top talent. Others stress that science thrives on international collaboration and that talent will keep moving to where opportunities exist. Data show that many Chinese-educated scientists who earned US doctorates remain in the United States, underscoring the complexity of talent flows even as politics complicates them. Xi Jinping has framed science as central to national strength, vowing a self-reliant science and technology future by 2035. As the world competes for minds, researchers say the priority is stability, funding, and continued collaboration across borders.
