By Li Deyan, Vision Times
Liu Guozhi, a former commander of China’s nuclear test base and a previous head of the Central Military Commission’s Science and Technology Commission, has reportedly been removed from the official list of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The move comes amid a broader shake-up within China’s military-industrial and scientific establishment, where several prominent experts have recently disappeared from official rosters and multiple senior officials were placed “under investigation.”
The removal of Liu’s profile from the CAS website was discovered on March 18. Searches for his name in the academy’s official database now return “no data,” and his biography page is no longer accessible.
At the time of publishing, Chinese authorities issued no official explanation or announcement regarding the change.
A shocking removal
The removal of Liu Guozhi follows similar actions involving other prominent figures in China’s defense research sector. In recent months, the CAS and the Chinese Academy of Engineering have removed the names and biographies of multiple academicians linked to military technology programs.
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Among them was Yang Wei, widely known as the chief designer of China’s J-20 stealth fighter, whose profile was quietly taken down from the CAS website earlier.
When reporters searched the CAS site for Liu Guozhi’s name, only an unrelated article from 2020 appeared, mentioning him in connection with a meeting evaluating the academy’s research initiatives. No other official records referencing him remained available on the site.
Liu’s background
Public records show that Liu Guozhi, born in November 1960 in Liaoning Province, built his career within China’s military research and weapons development institutions.
He served as director of the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology and later became commander of the PLA’s 21st Test and Training Base, widely known as China’s nuclear testing facility located in the Lop Nur region of Xinjiang. In 2009, Liu was elected an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The following year he was appointed director of the nuclear testing base at Lop Nur.
Liu later rose through the ranks of China’s military establishment. In December 2010, he became a deputy minister of the PLA’s General Armaments Department, and in 2013 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. In September 2014, Liu succeeded General Li Andong as head of the department’s Science and Technology Commission.
Following China’s sweeping military reforms in January 2016, Liu became the first director of the newly established Science and Technology Commission of the Central Military Commission, overseeing research and innovation within the Chinese military. He remained in that position until 2021, when he stepped down after reaching the tenure limit for deputy theater-level officers.
Liu is widely regarded as one of the leading pioneers of high-power microwave technology in China. His research focused on pulsed power systems and microwave weapons technology, and he led several major projects related to high-power microwave sources and systems.
Links to Xi Jinping and Zhang Youxia
Liu’s career also placed him in direct contact with China’s top political and military leadership. In March 2016, Liu attended a meeting of military delegates during China’s annual political sessions, where Chinese leader Xi Jinping was present. State media at the time published photographs showing Xi shaking hands with Liu, which observers interpreted as a sign of the scientist’s prominence within China’s defense establishment.
Liu also had long-standing ties with Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and one of China’s most powerful military figures.
Analysts note that Liu’s promotion in 2014 to lead the General Armaments Department’s Science and Technology Commission occurred while Zhang Youxia oversaw the department’s broader weapons development system.
According to commentary posted by analyst “Wen Bei” on the social media platform X, Liu and Zhang worked within overlapping leadership structures for more than a decade. Their collaboration can be divided into three phases:
- First, from 2012 to 2015, when Zhang served as head of the General Armaments Department and Liu was one of his deputies responsible for technical programs.
- Second, after the 2016 military reforms, when Zhang became head of the newly formed Equipment Development Department and Liu led the Science and Technology Commission. Although the two organizations were separate, Liu’s research programs supported the weapons systems overseen by Zhang.
- Third, from 2017 onward, when Zhang became vice chairman of the Central Military Commission while Liu continued leading the commission’s technology body.
During this period, analysts say Liu effectively served as the military-industrial system’s top technology official within Zhang’s broader network.
Sweeping purges continue
Observers say Liu’s removal from the academy list reflects broader turmoil within China’s defense research community. An analyst using the X account “Finding心归何处” wrote that the number of senior scientists removed in recent years suggests deeper problems across multiple sectors of China’s military technology system. “This represents systemic decay across the military-industrial and research system,” the commentator wrote.
The post listed numerous experts from key sectors, including nuclear power, missile technology, fighter aircraft, radar systems, engines, and defense equipment, who have recently been investigated or removed from official positions. The individuals cited include figures involved in nuclear propulsion, missile guidance systems, advanced aircraft design, early-warning radar, nuclear weapons engineering, and aircraft engine development.
According to analysts, the concentration of cases within such critical fields raises questions about governance and oversight within China’s defense industry.
While China’s military modernization programs have received substantial funding and resources in recent years, critics argue that the growing number of investigations may reveal deeper structural challenges within the system.
Editorial note: This article is based on publicly circulating reports and commentary from independent analysts. The claims described have not been independently verified by Vision Times, and relevant authorities have not publicly confirmed the allegations.
