Northwestern Polytechnical University

Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) is designated very high risk because of its top-secret secrecy credentials, very high number of defence labs and defence research areas, involvement in illegal exports, and supervision by MIIT.

The university is one of the ‘Seven Sons of National Defence’ subordinate to MIIT. It is heavily engaged in military research, describing itself as ‘devoted to improving and serving the national defence science and technology industry.’ NWPU’s research focuses on aviation, space and naval technology.https://web.archive.org/web/20180903113007/https://www.nwpu.edu.cn/xxgk/xxjj.htm  Between 2014 and 2018, the university’s School of Mechanics, Civil Engineering and Architecture alone spent nearly RMB200 million (AUD40 million) on defence research projects.https://yzb.nwpu.edu.cn/__local/6/90/84/CEB0E62C2FEC1D2A1B9C8185C2D_A31BF081_1E2A933.pdf ; http://archive.fo/keWI2 41.25% of 2017 NWPU graduates who gained employment were working in the defence sector.https://web.archive.org/web/20190201215836/http://yz.kaoyan.com/nwpu/zixun/5b74268b2f2f2.html

NWPU is known for its development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The only Chinese university hosting a UAV defence laboratory, NWPU produces the ASN series of UAVs though its subsidiary company, Aisheng Technology Group Co., Ltd. The Chinese military is the company’s largest customer and the company once claimed to produce 90% of China’s drones.https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2161354/drones-have-become-part-chinas-military-strategy ; https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/world/asia/hacking-us-secrets-china-pushes-for-drones.html ; https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/China%27s%20Military%20UAV%20Industry_14%20June%202013.pdf p8

The university has close ties to state-owned shipbuilding and aerospace conglomerates.

Major defence laboratories

• Fundamental Science on Aircraft Structural Mechanics and Strength Laboratory (飞行器结构力学与强度技术国防重点学科实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521001743/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=365
• New Concept of Jet Propulsion Technology Key Laboratory (新概念喷气推进技术国防重点学科实验)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521001754/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=289 ; https://web.archive.org/web/20150912013119/https://bbs.tiexue.net/post_4800346_1.html
• Key Laboratory for Space Biosciences and Biotechnology（空间生物实验模拟技术国防重点学科实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20171110084358/https://news.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1002/46250.htm
• National Defence Science, Technology and Industry for Precision Forging and Ring Rolling Technology Innovation Center(国防科技工业精密锻造与环轧技术创新中心)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521004011/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=329
• State Key Laboratory for Solidification Processing (凝固技术国家重点实验室)“实验室隶属于国防系统，以航空航天为代表领域的国防重大材料技术需求为主要服务对象” https://web.archive.org/web/20181007184931/http://cailiao.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1665/23944.htm
• State Key Laboratory of UAV Special Technology (无人机特种技术国家重点实验室/无人机特种技术国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521004620/http://cicav.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1204/2623.htm
• State Key Laboratory for Underwater Information and Control (水下信息与控制重点实验室/水下信息处理与控制国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521005038/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=261 ; http://archive.fo/E7isW
  • Jointly established by NWPU and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s 705 Institute
  • May be another name for the National Defense Key Laboratory of Torpedo Guidance Technology
• Science and Technology on Thermostructural Composite Materials Laboratory (超高温结构复合材料重点实验室/超高温结构复合材料国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521005159/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=301 ; https://web.archive.org/web/20190521010102/http://xygg.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1009/1596.htm
• Science and Technology on Combustion, Internal Flow and Thermo-structure Laboratory (燃烧、热结构与内流场重点实验室/固体火箭发动机燃烧、热结构与内流场国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521010146/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=359 ; http://archive.fo/wKeUi
  • Jointly established by NWPU and China Aerospace Science and Technology Group’s 4^th Academy’s 41^st Research Institutehttps://web.archive.org/web/20190521010146/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=359
• State Key Laboratory of Aerodynamic Design and Research (翼型、叶栅空气动力学国家级重点实验室 / 翼型、叶栅空气动力学国防科技重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20190521010651/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=260 ; https://web.archive.org/web/20190521010956/http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1204/2621.htm
• National Defense Key Laboratory of Torpedo Guidance Technology (鱼雷制导技术国防科技重点实验室)http://archive.fo/wQXeP
  • It is unclear whether this lab still exists. The lab was jointly established by NWPU and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s 705 Institute and was headed by the director of the 705 Institute.http://archive.fo/uBnWI
  • May be another name for the State Key Laboratory for Underwater Information and Control
• National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Flight Dynamics (航天飞行动力学技术重点实验室)https://web.archive.org/web/20111223205118/https://news.qq.com/a/20110415/001088.htm ; https://web.archive.org/web/20190521012929/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=315
  • Jointly established by NWPU and Beijing Aerospace Control Center, a key organization in the PLA’s manned space program.
• Key Laboratory of Information Fusion, Ministry of Education (信息融合技术教育部重点实验室(B类))https://web.archive.org/web/20190116104359/https://renshi.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1121/2480.htm

Designated defence research areas

The 13^th five-year plan (2016-2020), NWPU has had 10 defence disciplines approved, making it one of the top universities by number of defence disciplines awarded in this period.https://web.archive.org/web/20181026034428/https://news.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1002/53190.htm Of these, four could be identified:

• Military-use materialshttps://web.archive.org/web/20190816101412/http://kypt.nwpu.edu.cn/index.php?c=content&a=show&id=396
• Structural mechanics
• Aerospace vehicle manufacturing engineering
• Mechatronic engineeringhttp://archive.fo/Pv5X8

34 defence disciplines and subjects were supported at NWPU for the 11^th five-year plan (2006-2010).https://news.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1002/55234.htm In April 2018, SASTIND inspected and accepted the university’s development of these 34 areas which included RMB99 million (AUD20 million) of investment from the university. These areas include

• Electromagnetic field and microwave technology
• Systems engineeringhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190105085943/https://dianzi.nwpu.edu.cn/xygk.htm
• Flight technologyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190816101640/http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/info/1050/1302.htm
• Flight vehicle design
• Aeronautics and astronautics safety engineering
• Airworthiness technology and management
• Vehicle operation engineeringhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190816100932/http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/gk.htm
• Computer science and technologyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190816101115/http://jsj.nwpu.edu.cn/xygk.htm
• Space biologyhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190114111332/https://shengming.nwpu.edu.cn/xkjs/tsxk.htm
• Electronic information engineering
• Detection, guidance and control technology
• Communications engineeringhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190816102050/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FBjiHn7lLhcJ:zsb.nwpu.edu.cn/news/ckeditor/uploader/upload/file1368000690469.doc+&cd=63&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=jp

Economic espionage and misconduct

In 2018, the US Department of Justice charged Chinese national Qin Shuren with illegally exporting devices used in anti-submarine warfare to NWPU.https://web.archive.org/web/20181103131242/https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/chinese-national-allegedly-exported-devices-military-applications-china The Department of Justice’s press release announcing Qin’s arrest stated: ‘In 2001, the Department of Commerce designated NWPU on its Entity List because of the national security risks it poses to the U.S. NWPU has worked closely with the PLA on the advancement of its military capabilities.’https://web.archive.org/web/20190109181245/https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/chinese-national-arrested-conspiring-illegally-export-us-origin-goods-used-anti-submarine In April 2021, Qin pleaded guilty to the charges that he smuggled marine technology out of the US to benefit NWPU.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-crime-massachusetts-idUSKBN2CF2E2

Defence and security links

NWPU runs the Collaborative Innovation Center of Future Aerospace Vehicle, which includes China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center as well as other military-linked universities as members.https://web.archive.org/web/20190521011456/http://hangkong.nwpu.edu.cn/cicav/zxgk/zxjj.htm

Noteworthy international collaborations

NWPU is one of nine Chinese members of the UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research.https://web.archive.org/web/20190522005839/http://www.seu.edu.cn/english/2018/0930/c237a241910/page.htm

NWPU signed a MOU with the Slovak Academy of Science (SAS) in 2015.https://ceias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/universities-paper.pdf Later in 2019, the two parties signed an agreement to establish a Joint Research Centre.https://ceias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/universities-paper.pdf The 2019 agreement mandated that SAS scientists visiting NWPU are entitled to monthly stipends, ranging from RMB 1500 (AUD 300) to RMB 3500 (AUD 700).https://ceias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/universities-paper.pdf The 2019 agreement also states that NWPU is entitled to own 50 percent of intellectual property rights produced under the joint research.https://ceias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/universities-paper.pdf

End-user lists

NWPU is included in the Japan End User List and US BIS Entity List.

Last updated 6 May 2021. Unclear about any wording? Visit the terminology page.