In this study we examined the resource-research relationship at China's research universities. The stochastic frontier production function was employed in analyses of a panel data set on a group of the most research-intensive universities in China from 2000 to 2010. Results suggested overall tight relationships between various resources (including human resources, research expenditures, and research equipment) and research publications. Distinct patterns emerged when research publications were disaggregated by fields [i.e., science and engineering (SE) vs. non-science and engineering (non-SE)] and publishing venues (i.e., domestic vs. international journals). Research publications in SE, especially those published in international journals, depended heavily on all three resources, while research in non-SE depended more on human resources. In addition, results suggested that research in SE had shifted its focus from domestic to international publications during this period.