Institute of High Energy Physics
Profile
| Official Chinese name | 中国科学院高能物理研究所 |
|---|---|
| Official English name | Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Chinese aliases | 高能所, 中国科学院近代物理研究所, 物理研究所, 原子能研究所, 原子能研究所一部 |
| English aliases | Institute of Modern Physics, Institute of Physics, Institute of Atomic Energy, Division One of the Institute of Atomic Energy |
| Acronyms | IHEP |
| Research fields | Particle physics, particle astrophysics, particle accelerator physics and technology, synchrotron radiation, neurons scattering technology and applications |
| Total employee count | Over 1,500 (as of 24 November 2025) |
Summary
Institute of High Energy Physics is categorised as a Core Defence Partner based on the following indicators:
- Defence advisor
- 1 indicators
- Defence award
- 2 indicators
- Defence funding
- 4 indicators
- Defence laboratory
- 1 indicators
- Military-technology patent
- 2 indicators
- Research collaboration with defence entities
- 4 indicators
A core defence partner is deeply involved in research and programmes that strengthen and sustain China’s defence capabilities. Senior figures may help steer national defence research priorities; many of its researchers and projects have recently been recognised for addressing defence needs; a significant body of current work is sponsored by defence organisations; it runs laboratories aligned with military objectives; produces a large number of defence-related patents in recent years; and/or publishes extensively and regularly with defence institutions. Together, these patterns show that defence work is routine, largescale and built into the institute’s operations and identity.
Rules-based framework
| Rule | Resulting category |
|---|---|
| Two or more indicators = 4 | Core defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and two indicators = 3 or Three or more indicators = 3 | Regular defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and one indicator = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 or Two indicators = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 | Limited defence partner |
| All indicators between 0 and 2 | Civilian institute |
| Three or more indicators = 0 | Insufficient data |
Note: All indicators operate on a 0 to 4 scale. There are a total of six indicators.
For more information on the graded scales see the user guide.
Defence advisory roles
Members of the leadership of the Institute of High Energy Physics have almost certainly not served on defence-related expert committees. As the data reviewed are complete, up-to-date and cover all members of the leadership team, this assessment is made with high confidence.
Defence awards
Available information indicates that researchers from the Institute of High Energy Physics have received at least three separate defence awards over time. These include one National Defence Science and Technology Progress Award, one Sichuan Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker Award, and one Science and Technology Progress Award of the General Armaments Department of the PLA.[1]
Of the three awards, the date is only known for one. It confirms that the researcher was employed by the Institute of High Energy Physics when the award was granted in 2022.[2] One award did not include a specific date, but as the award was attributed to a research output from a laboratory group at the Institute of High Energy Physics rather than a specific researcher,[3] the award can be confidently linked to the institute. The third award was not dated, and as the researcher had only spent a few months away from the Institute of High Energy Physics[4] to conduct research in a foreign laboratory,[5] our analysis concludes with confidence that the award is associated with their time at the institute. Despite our confidence that the latter two awards were connected to the institute, our analysis could not determine whether these awards were granted prior to 2021 or more recently.
Researchers and projects at the Institute of High Energy Physics have almost certainly received at least one defence award since 2021. As the data reviewed is thorough, recent and covers a significant portion of relevant staff, this assessment is made with high confidence.
Defence funding
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of High Energy Physics authored 123 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 94th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 6,057 authors affiliated with the Institute of High Energy Physics who published during this period, 188 (3 per cent) had at least one defence-funded publication. However, it is not possible to attribute specific funding to individual researchers based solely on publication data.
Defence laboratories
No publicly available information suggests that this institute hosts or is affiliated with any known defence laboratories. The Chinese language laboratory websites do not mention any links or references to defence-related activities.
The Guangdong–Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Neutron Scattering Science and Technology [粤港澳中子散射科学技术联合实验室] and the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center [硼中子俘获治疗（BNCT）广东省工程技术研究中心] do not have public websites. It is unclear whether the absence of a website reflects administrative factors or a deliberate effort to limit public visibility.
Military-technology patents
Between 2021 and 2025, the Institute of High Energy Physics was granted two military-technology patents, placing it in the 49th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of 18 inventors affiliated with the Institute of High Energy Physics were listed on these patents.
Research collaboration with defence entities
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Institute of High Energy Physics co-authored 1,760 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 100th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.
These collaborations include 58 publications with PLA academic institutions, 774 with defence laboratories, 6 with military hospitals, 1,331 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 227 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry and 12 with defence conglomerates.
Of the 6,057 authors affiliated with the Institute of High Energy Physics who published during this period, 2,598 (43 per cent) had at least one defence-related collaboration.
Return to directoryNotes
All cited web content was viewed at its original website location; however, to ensure ongoing accessibility we are providing links to Internet Archive versions here.
- Institute of High Energy Physics. 2026. 'Li Xinqiao' [李新乔]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴; Sichuan Science and Technology Daily. 2022. 'Adding a Chinese Note to the Symphony of High-Energy Physics Exploration – An Interview with Cao Zhen, Chief Scientist of the High-Altitude Cosmic Ray Observatory (LHAASO)' [为高能物理探索乐章添上中国音符 – 专访“高海拔宇宙线观测站”（LHAASO）首席科学家曹臻]. Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, 29 December. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴; Institute of High Energy Physics. 2025. 'Exploring the Structure of Matter: Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility' [探秘物质结构：北京同步辐射装置]. 14 July. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Sichuan Science and Technology Daily. 2022. 'Adding a Chinese Note to the Symphony of High-Energy Physics Exploration – An Interview with Cao Zhen, Chief Scientist of the High-Altitude Cosmic Ray Observatory (LHAASO)' [为高能物理探索乐章添上中国音符 – 专访“高海拔宇宙线观测站”（LHAASO）首席科学家曹臻]. Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, 29 December. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Institute of High Energy Physics. 2025. 'Exploring the Structure of Matter: Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility' [探秘物质结构：北京同步辐射装置]. 14 July. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Institute of High Energy Physics. 2026. 'Li Xinqiao' [李新乔]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Institute of High Energy Physics. 2026. 'Li Xinqiao' [李新乔]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴