China’s R&D spending increased 18.5% to CNY 1,029.84 billion ($163.2 billion) in 2012. Average R&D expenditure per capital by full-time R&D personnel was CNY 317,000. Experimental development accounted for 84% of R&D expenditures and rose 19.2%. Applied and experimental research accounted for 11% and 5% of R&D spending and increased 21.1% and 13.0%, respectively. R&D spending by industrial enterprises, research institutions subordinated to government departments, and universities grew 19.2%, 18.5% and 13.3% to make up 76%, 15% and 8% of government expenditures, respectively. Among the eight industries with a ratio of R&D to revenue of more than 1% were pharmaceutical manufacturing (1.63%) and auto manufacturing (1.12%). In 2012, R&D spending for pharmaceutical manufacturing totaled CNY 283.3 million, and R&D expenditures for the manufacture of chemical raw material and chemical products was CNY 554.7 million.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics