Hunan University

Hunan University (HNU) is designated very high risk for its links to China’s nuclear weapons program and high level of defence research.

HNU is a leading Chinese university subordinate to the Ministry of Education. In recent years, its participation in defence research appears to have grown substantially. In 2010, it established the National Supercomputer Center in Changsha jointly with the PLA National University of  Defense Technology, which has since been placed on the US Government Entity List for its suspected role in nuclear weapons research.https://web.archive.org/web/20181007025716/http://nscc.hnu.edu.cn/info/1058/1063.htm

In 2011, China’s defence industry agency, SASTIND, entered a partnership with the MOE to expand the university’s participation in defence research and defence industry ties.http://www.moe.gov.cn/s78/A08/gjs_left/s7187/s7189/201403/t20140313_165432.html This arrangement was renewed in 2016.http://hnrb.voc.com.cn/hnrb_epaper/html/2016-07/07/content_1117523.htm?div=-1 In 2013, SASTIND and the Hunan Provincial Government also signed an agreement to jointly support the development of the university’s National Supercomputer Center.https://web.archive.org/web/20190808062134/http://hunan.sina.com.cn/city/whyq/2013-07-30/121763232.html

HNU holds secret-level security credentials, enabling it to participate in research and production for weapons and other defence projects.https://web.archive.org/web/20190923230001/http://sbgx.hnu.edu.cn/Article/Show/c81a7833-8d89-4617-beb6-5a4e743a364e?ArticleCategoryId=81d231b0-ef3d-4529-beb6-1e7b28d45d25&XPath=000010

Major defence laboratories

• National Defense Key Discipline Laboratory of Electric Power Drive and Servo Technology (电力驱动与伺服技术国防重点学科实验室/电力驱动与伺服技术重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190528061626/http://eeit.hnu.edu.cn/info/1023/4875.htm
• Hunan Provincial Advanced Electrical Power, Electronic and Electrical Machinery Technology and Applications National Defense Technology Key Laboratory (湖南省先进电力电子与电机技术及应用国防技术重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190528061932/http://eeit.hnu.edu.cn/info/1171/5028.htm
• Hunan Provincial Advanced Materials Technology National Defense Technology Key Laboratory (湖南省先进材料制备技术国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190528062211/http://news.hnu.edu.cn/xyjw/2019-04-04/27156.html
• National Supercomputing Center in Changsha (国家超级计算长沙中心)
  • Jointly run with the PLA National University of Defense Technology
  • Hosts the PLA’s Tianhe-1A supercomputer
  • In 2015, the centre was added to the US BIS Entity List because Tianhe-1A is used in research on nuclear explosions.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/02/18/2015-03321/addition-of-certain-persons-to-the-entity-list-and-removal-of-person-from-the-entity-list-based-on-a

Designated defence research areas

Hunan University has seven designated disciplines with defence characteristics, includinghttps://web.archive.org/web/20190809052649/https://www.hnu.edu.cn/hdgk/xxjj.htm

• Military-use critical materials
• Military-use energy technologyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190809052901/https://www.cybsfy.com/html/info10672148.html
• Computer architecturehttps://web.archive.org/web/20190809053315/http://iotcompetition.org/2017/new_180319.html
• Power electronics and power drives
• Pattern recognition and intelligent systemshttps://web.archive.org/web/20190809053515/http://eeit.hnu.edu.cn/info/1170/5577.htm
• Mechanicshttps://web.archive.org/web/20190809055252/http://mve.hnu.edu.cn/info/1191/3288.htm

Economic espionage and misconduct

HNU’s National Supercomputing Center in Changsha is believed to be involved in nuclear weapons research.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/02/18/2015-03321/addition-of-certain-persons-to-the-entity-list-and-removal-of-person-from-the-entity-list-based-on-a HNU’s close relationship with NUDT, which is also in Changsha and included in the US Government’s Entity List, increases the possibility that it may be used as an alias or proxy for the military.

Defence and security links

A professor at HNU’s College of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering serves as a specially appointed expert to the Ministry of State Security.https://web.archive.org/web/20190528065303/http://csee.hnu.edu.cn/people/qinzheng

End-user lists

In 2015, HNU’s National Supercomputing Center in Changsha was placed on the US Government Entity List for its suspected role in nuclear weapons research.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/02/18/2015-03321/addition-of-certain-persons-to-the-entity-list-and-removal-of-person-from-the-entity-list-based-on-a

Last updated 19 November 2019. Unclear about any wording? Visit the terminology page.