By Shawn Jiang and Olivia Li
January 30, 2023 Updated: January 30, 2023
The latest COVID-19
outbreak in China has infected millions of people all over the country. From
Jan. 1 to Jan. 26, 15 academicians passed away, including several top military
weapon experts, such as renowned nuclear weapons expert Wu Sheng, air defense missile
expert Liang Jincai, nuclear submarine chief designer Zhang Jinlin, and mine
blasting expert Li Zhao.
On Jan. 4, Wu Sheng, a
nuclear weapons expert, died in Chengdu at the age of 89. Wu had participated
in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) atomic and hydrogen bomb development in
the 1960s, and had won many top awards in science and technology.
Also on Jan. 4, Xu Mi, a
nuclear technologist and chief engineer of China Institute of Atomic Energy,
died in Beijing at the age of 86. Known as the “Father of China’s Fast
Reactors,” Xu was one of the pioneers and founders of fast neutron reactor
technology in the country.
On Jan. 9,
academician Zhang Jinlin, China’s third nuclear submarine chief
engineer and former director of the 719 Research Institute of China
Shipbuilding Corporation, died in Wuhan at the age of 87.
Chinese news portal
NetEase praised Zhang for his lifetime devotion to the Chinese Communist
Party’s (CCP) nuclear submarine development.
“In 1996, academician
Zhang Jinlin, who was over 60 years old, could have enjoyed his retirement
peacefully, but for the sake of our maritime cause, he felt it was his duty to
take on the heavy responsibility and presided over the development of the 094
strategic nuclear submarine. … He made great contributions to the Chinese
dream, and the dream to form a powerful Chinese army,” the report said.
Zhang was one of the
recipients of the CCP’s special government allowance, an allowance granted by
the State Council for experts, scholars, and technical personnel who make
prominent contributions.
On Jan. 17, Liang Jincai,
a researcher at the 8th Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and
Technology Corporation, and an expert in the field of air defense missiles,
died at the age of 95. Liang was mainly engaged in the general research and
automatic control research of air defense missiles, and has won a number of
national awards in science and technology.
On Jan. 23, Hu Guangzhen,
an expert in electronic engineering and communications technology, died at the
age of 95. He was a long-time researcher at the Institute of the General Staff
of the People’s Liberation Army, and had received many awards from the Chinese
regime for his contribution in science and technology.
On Jan. 24, Li Zhao, a
landmine blasting expert of the General Armament Department, died at the age of
83. He was a long-time researcher in mine blasting equipment, and has won many
science and technology awards from the CCP authorities. Li also held a military
title as Major General. In 1987, he was elected as a representative of the
CCP’s 13th National Congress.
Other academicians on the
deceased list include Qian Yitai, a pioneer in the field of nanomaterials
research in China; Mao Zhi, a farmland water conservancy scientist; Yang Fuyu,
a biochemist and one of the pioneers in biofilm research in China; Lu
Xiyan, an organic chemist; Ge Xiu-run, an expert in petrological mechanics who
participated in the preliminary geological study for the Three Gorges Dam
project; Zhao Qiguo, a soil scientist; Wang Wei, a semiconductor
optoelectronics scientist; Fang Zhiyuan, an expert in genetic breeding of
vegetables; and Fan Weitang, an engineer and politician who served as vice
minister of coal industry from 1993 to 1995.
The death toll seemed to
take a spike in December 2022, when 24 academicians passed away in December
alone.
Most of the obituaries
did not mention the cause of death.
The majority of the
deceased are CCP members. Of the 24 academicians who died in December 2022, 20
were members of the CCP. Of these 15 academicians who died in January this
year, 14 were members of the CCP.
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