China’s Research Funding for the Humanities and Social Scienc

Designed to align research with national priorities, China’s dual-track funding system for the humanities and social sciences (HSS) comprises both vertical (government-led) and horizontal (stakeholder-driven) channels. Despite substantial growth in national R&D investment, HSS research continues to lag behind STEM research, due to policy-driven funding imbalances. Systemic challenges, including the entrenched role of guanxi, rigid performance-based evaluation frameworks, and unequal resource distribution, undermine equity and constrain the innovative potential of HSS disciplines.