Effective March 1, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the world's largest research institution, will stop paying publication fees for papers published in 30 high-cost open access journals, including Nature Communications, Cell Reports, and Science Advances. Observers suggest this move is likely aimed at cost control and may also promote the development of domestic Chinese journals.
According to a report, a researcher shared an excerpt of received information indicating that the draft policy would prohibit CAS scientists from using academy funds to pay article processing charges (APCs) for these 30 publications. Another source stated that the publication fee for a single article in each of the listed journals exceeds $5,000.
Publishers charge these fees to make articles freely available to the public immediately upon publication. The global average APC is approximately $2,000.
The report also states that CAS will prohibit researchers from using central government funds—which are presumed to include grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Natural Science Foundation of China—to pay APCs for the specified journals. However, CAS researchers can still publish in these journals if they secure alternative funding sources.
Gengyan Tang, a doctoral student at the University of Calgary studying China's academic publishing policies, commented that Chinese research funders are increasingly emphasizing efficiency and accountability in spending. Any restriction on APC reimbursements can be seen as part of this broader effort, rather than a complete rejection of open access journals.
Since 2019, the Chinese government has been advancing a initiative to develop 400 world-class scientific journals as affordable alternatives to Western publications. A 2023 report by publishing consultancy firms Osmanthus Consulting and Clarke & Esposito indicated that China had about 178 English-language open access journals, nearly half of which charge no APC.
Currently, APC revenue primarily flows to international publishers. Many in China and elsewhere view the high profits earned by some of the world's largest publishers as an unsustainable practice.
In addition to restricting payments to high-APC journals, the new policy also bans payments for an additional 120 journals flagged for research integrity issues.
It is anticipated that other Chinese institutions may follow the academy's lead. Furthermore, this new policy could significantly impact certain open access journals. An analysis of Web of Science data found that in 2025, authors from CAS accounted for approximately 10% of papers in both Nature Communications and Science Advances, while authors from institutions within China contributed to about 40% of the papers in each journal.
A spokesperson for the Science family of journals stated that CAS had not formally notified Science Advances of the policy, noting that authors from China, including those from CAS, are important contributors to the journal. Nature Communications and Cell Report have not yet commented.
The APC for Science Advances is $5,450, while Nature Communications and Cell Report charge $7,350 and $5,790, respectively. Publishers justify the higher fees for highly selective journals by citing their high rejection rates, explaining that the APC for accepted papers must cover the peer-review costs for all submitted manuscripts.
Other countries have also taken measures to reduce APC expenditures. For example, a German research foundation has set a cap on APC reimbursements, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health is considering similar action.
Comments