SCMP SCREENSHOT

The South China Morning Post reported on May 13 that Professor Zhang Yonghao had joined China's National Hypersonic Laboratory, after more than 20 years as a prominent physicist in the UK and had discovered the secret of super-speed liquids.

The Chinese government hired Professor Zhang Yonghao as a leading overseas expert, leading an innovation team at the science and technology laboratory of thermodynamics in hypersonic flight at the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

According to the Institute of Mechanics website, Mr. Truong's team will develop advanced computational methods and models to simulate the behavior of gases at high speeds and temperatures, research that is of great significance in building more efficient hypersonic vehicles.

The institute said his team is expected to "lead the world" in developing materials that surpass all existing standards in terms of their ability to withstand various elements and control pressure.

Zhang’s contract takes effect immediately after he leaves his job at the University of Edinburgh in October 2022, according to the Institute of Mechanics. It is unclear why Zhang decided to return to China to work at the Beijing-based National Hypersonics Laboratory.

The UK government's 2021 investigation into academics with ties to China raised concerns about national security and intellectual property theft.

In 2022, the inquiry led to a record number of scientists and postgraduates being banned from working in the UK on national security grounds.

The investigation targets individuals with links to Chinese institutions, including universities and research institutions. The Guardian reported in March that the Foreign Office’s screening program had excluded more than 1,000 people in 2022, up from just 13 in 2016.