Over the past five years, China has surged ahead to become a global leader of high-level technology talent while the United States has experienced an apparent decline, underscoring a seismic shift in the global innovation landscape between two of the world's largest economies, according to a report.

Released by Dongbi Data, a Chinese technology and data firm founded by a group of young scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the report analyzed 392,202 scientific papers published between 2020 and 2024 across 129 top academic journals.

According to the report, the number of high-level technology experts from the US fell from 36,599 in 2020 to 31,781 in 2024, with the country's global share shrinking from 32.8 percent to 27.3 percent.

By contrast, China's top scientific minds expanded from 18,805 to 32,511 over the same period, pushing its global share from 16.9 percent to 27.9 percent.

"Global talent dynamics are shifting at an unprecedented pace. The race for technological supremacy will increasingly hinge on how nations attract, nurture and retain their brightest minds," said Wu Dengsheng, founder of Dongbi Data. "China's rise is a testament to its sustained investment in education, research and innovation infrastructure. Meanwhile, the US faces challenges in maintaining its dominance in terms of high-level technology talent amid shifting global dynamics."

The report also highlighted contrasting trends in Europe and other parts of the world. Germany maintained a stable position, with minimal changes in its share of high-level talent, while the United Kingdom and France saw declines in both absolute numbers and global share.

Italy emerged as a bright spot in Europe, experiencing growth in its pool of high-level scientists. Elsewhere, Japan and Australia reported contractions in both their talent numbers and global market share, signaling challenges in retaining competitive advantages.

Notably, active high-level technology talent, defined as those with significant contributions in recent years, showed a similar pattern.

With 25,887 active experts, accounting for 33.5 percent of the global total, the US held the lead in that segment, followed by China with 16,968, or 22 percent. Germany, the UK and Italy rounded out the top contributors, each holding shares of over 2 percent.

At the institutional level, the Chinese Academy of Sciences took the top spot globally, with 3,615 high-level scientists, or 2.9 percent of the total. Harvard University and Stanford University followed, with 1,683 and 1,208 experts, respectively.

The report also noted that China's talent are concentrated in eastern coastal regions and major metropolitan hubs such as Beijing and Shanghai, where top-tier universities and research institutions thrive.

In the US, the states of California and Massachusetts remain magnets for innovation, supported by their leading universities and research centers.

"Both nations showcase a unique competitive edge. China's rapid expansion highlighted its ability to mobilize resources and attract talent, while the US continues to lead in fostering interdisciplinary and international collaboration," Wu said.