Global science is more networked and connected than ever before. The rise of research collaborations occurs not only in the established Euro-American science systems that hold 'central' nodes in the globally networked science, but also in other parts of the world as science systems pluralise and multipolarise. Yet, research collaborations between traditionally non-central science systems are understudied. This paper examines factors leading to increased research collaborations between scientists in China and Turkey, two "traditionally" non-central science systems. A multiple regression analysis was conducted using an original dataset of 2256 collaborative papers and 605 China-based and Turkey-based scientists. The analysis reveals the statistically significant role of in-person mobility to the other system in increasing research collaborations. Additionally, being male instead of female and working in a university instead of a research institute are statistically significant predictors of increased research collaborations. The paper adds further nuances to the literature, suggesting that having obtained a PhD abroad or being in a large city may not lead to increased collaborations among traditionally non-central systems, although they may increase international collaborations at the conflated global level.