[apienx]

Good point. But please consider that certain cultures may be inherently more transparent and accepting of dissent (see global indices that measure freedom of speech and degree of liberal democracy). Plus, different cultures have different attitudes towards honesty and commitment to truth (e.g. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature17160). In addition, the last decade saw the emergence of colossal national programs that explicitly seek to inflate output metrics (e.g. China, Saudi Arabia, etc.).

I’d trust a paper coming out of the Netherlands way more than I’d trust one from China. For the same reasons I’d trust a paper from a reputable publisher over predatory one.