According to the latest edition of Journal Citation Reports, released by Clarivate Analytics, Cell Research, which is published monthly by Nature Publishing Group in partnership with Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, received an impact factor of 20.507 for 2019, ranking 1st in Asia-Pacific and 7th in the whole world. This is the first time for a Chinese sci-tech journal to break 20.

Today the international influence of sci-tech journals has become an important indicator of national competitiveness. Shanghai science and technology journals, as the national leaders, have gained weight on the international stage. To improve the country’s scientific and technological innovation ability and enhance China’s influence in the world, Shanghai will launch a three-year action plan for fostering world-class sci-tech periodicals.

“Science and technology journals occupy an important position in international competition. Cultivating internationally famous journals counts much towards a country's development. Shanghai is responsible for accelerating the development of sci-tech periodicals,” said an industry insider.

Since 2013, Shanghai has increased financial investment in the development of technical journals. Besides, Shanghai has constantly published the Report on the Development of the Periodical Industry since 2018. The Shanghai Journal Forum, which has been successfully held for 8 consecutive years, will collaborate with the China Periodicals Association this year, providing a higher-quality platform for exchanges. For industry professionals, Shanghai has unique advantages in enhancing the competitiveness of the country’s technical journals. With the development of the Science Technology Innovation Center, Shanghai is expected to cultivate more first-class journals with global influence.

“The three-year plan for building Shanghai into an international city points out that the government will strengthen support and assistance to the development of domestic journals so that the academic level of journal articles can reach the international level,” said Xu Jiong, deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Shanghai Committee. “We have achieved a lot and I believe in the future we can do better.”