Breakthrough and Upgrading of China's Scientific and Technical Publishing "Going Global" from the Perspective of Civilizational Dialogue: A Case Study of the Acquisition of EDP Sciences by Science Press

The internationalization of China′s scientific and technical publishing has evolved through distinct phases: collaborative publishing, proprietary platform development and overseas acquisitions. In the current new phase driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, the global scientific and technical publishing industry is undergoing a reshuffling of its value chain and a reset of operational rules. This transformation presents a historic opportunity for China's scientific and technical publishing to progress from "going global" to "gaining ground" and ultimately to "going elevated." The core of the "breakthrough" strategy lies in the "cross-border capital + localization" model, which aims to dismantle the Western monopoly in publishing and eliminate cultural communication barriers, thereby addressing the challenge of "gaining ground." The "upgrading" strategy focuses on enhancing competitive capabilities through "knowledge services + rule-making, " enabling greater influence and a transition from market entry to rule leadership, thus addressing the challenge of "going elevated." This study examines how these complementary strategies can be pursued concurrently to progressively advance China's scientific and technical publishing from "going global" to "gaining ground" and ultimately to "going elevated." This study employs a qualitative case study methodology, focusing on the acquisition and integration of EDP Sciences by Science Press. It analyzes the post-acquisition integration and innovation efforts. This study examines the challenges and opportunities encountered during the acquisition and how these were addressed to achieve effective organizational and operational integration. Additionally, it assesses the impact of the acquisition on the scientific publishing landscape, particularly in terms of content innovation, market expansion, and cross-cultural collaboration. The findings indicate that the acquisition has advanced both traditional publishing activities and the exploration of new markets. Science Press and EDP Sciences have integrated their resources and expertise, leading to innovative publishing models and an enhanced global presence. This study highlights the strategic importance of the acquisition in the context of China's broader efforts to integrate into the global scientific community. This study concludes that strategic acquisitions represent an effective means to overcome market barriers, foster global scientific dialogue, and ultimately contribute to the advancement of global scientific knowledge. This case provides valuable insights for Chinese scientific and technological publishers and offers a new pathway for developing countries to engage in international scientific communication. This approach not only benefits China's scientific publishing institutions but also provides a reference model for other developing countries seeking to enhance their international scientific communication capabilities.