Recently, the chief designer of the Chinese-made J-20 stealth fighter, Yang Wei, has been removed from the list of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yang Wei has long served in the China Aviation Industry Corporation, and two former chairmen, Tan Ruisong and Zhou Xinmin, have encountered issues.
According to the recent update on the official website of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the name and resume of Yang Wei, the former Vice General Manager of the China Aviation Industry Corporation and the chief designer of the J-20 fighter, have been removed from the list of academicians, and relevant information pages cannot be accessed.
One year ago, on the evening of January 18, 2025, changes appeared in the “Leadership Team” section of the official website of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, with the resumes of the General Manager Hao Zhaoping and the Vice General Manager Yang Wei both being removed.
Public records show that Yang Wei, born in May 1963 in Zizhong, Sichuan, graduated from the Aircraft Department of Northwestern Polytechnical University. He is an aircraft design expert, elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017, and appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Tenth National Committee of the China Association for Science and Technology. Yang Wei has been deeply involved in fighter aircraft design and development, participating in the research and development of the Chinese Communist Party’s third-generation fighter J-10, and serving as the chief designer of the fifth-generation stealth fighter J-20, earning him the title of “Father of the J-20”. He has received awards such as the Chinese Communist Party’s National Science and Technology Progress Special Award and National Defense Science and Technology Progress Special Award.
Yang Wei previously held positions as the Deputy Director, Chief Designer, and Director of the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute of the China Aviation Industry Corporation; he was appointed as the Deputy Chief Engineer of the China Aviation Industry in December 2008, Deputy Director of the Technology Committee in July 2016, and Vice General Manager in August 2018. Yang Wei is a candidate member of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and a representative of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.
The China Aviation Industry Corporation is a major state-owned enterprise primarily engaged in aerospace research, design, and manufacturing. Formed by the merger of the original China Aviation Industry Corporation First Group and China Aviation Industry Corporation Second Group in November 2008, the group is involved in aerospace weapons and equipment, military transport aircraft, helicopters, onboard systems, and general aviation industries. The vast majority of the fighter aircraft used by the People’s Liberation Army of China are developed by this company.
In a statement released on February 4, 2026, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the Communist Party of China announced the dismissal of Zhou Xinmin, former Chairman of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, from his position as a national representative of the National People’s Congress.
On January 25, 2025, Wei Yingbiao, General Manager of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, and several senior executives of the group consoled retired leaders and academicians, but public reports did not mention Chairman Zhou Xinmin.
Zhou Xinmin chaired an anti-corruption meeting at the China Aviation Industry Corporation on January 18, 2025, but has not appeared publicly since. In July 2025, an update on the “Leadership Team” section of the China Aviation Industry Corporation’s official website revealed that Cheng Fubo had taken over as Chairman and Party Secretary, with the former Chairman Zhou Xinmin’s whereabouts unknown.
Public records show that Zhou Xinmin, born in November 1969 in Linchuan, Jiangxi, graduated from Northwestern Polytechnical University. He has held various positions within the China Aviation Industry Corporation, Changhe Aircraft Industrial Group, China Commercial Aircraft Co., Ltd., and China Aviation Industry. Zhou Xinmin was appointed Chairman of the China Aviation Industry Corporation in March 2024.
Yang Wei and Zhou Xinmin are alumni of Northwestern Polytechnical University. During Zhou Xinmin’s tenure as Chairman of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, Yang Wei served as the Vice General Manager for nearly ten months.
The former Chairman of the China Aviation Industry Corporation, Tan Ruisong, was investigated on August 30, 2024, expelled from the Communist Party on February 24, 2025, arrested on March 17, 2025, and prosecuted on August 5, 2025. Tan Ruisong was charged with corruption, bribery, insider trading, and leaking insider information.
Tan Ruisong has held various positions in different organizations before his tenure at the China Aviation Industry Corporation. During his time as the Chairman, Yang Wei served as his subordinate for nearly 15 years.
Just before Yang Wei was removed from the list of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, three other military experts of the Chinese Communist Party, Wu Manqing, Wei Yiyin, and Zhao Xiageng, were also removed from the list of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Wu Manqing is a radar expert, Wei Yiyin is a missile guidance control expert, and Zhao Xiageng is a nuclear weapons engineering expert.
In recent years, the Communist Party of China’s cleansing operations have extended to the military-industrial complex. According to official announcements and media reports, at least 12 state-owned military enterprises, including the China National Nuclear Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China Aviation Industry Corporation, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, China North Industries Group Corporation, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, have had senior personnel investigated, removed from their positions, or not publicly seen for an extended period.