Shenyang Institute of Automation

Profile

Official Chinese name 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所
Official English name Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chinese aliases 沈阳自动化所
English aliases
Acronyms SIACAS
Research fields Robotics, industrial robots, underwater robots, space robots and automation, special robots, advanced optoelectronic technology and systems, wireless sensing and communication technology, robotised process equipment, intelligent production lines
Total employee count Over 1,400 (as of 24 November 2025)

Summary

Shenyang Institute of Automation is categorised as a Core Defence Partner based on the following indicators:

Defence advisor
4 indicator
Defence award
2 indicators
Defence funding
2 indicators
Defence laboratory
2 indicators
Military-technology patent
4 indicators
Research collaboration with defence entities
3 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

Since 2018, one member of the leadership of the Shenyang Institute of Automation has served as a member of the overall expert group for the National Key Research and Development Programme of China's key special project on 'intelligent robots'.[1] Established in 2016, the National Key Research and Development Programme is one of China's main government research-funding schemes, created to consolidate earlier programmes and to steer funding toward priority technological goals. The project on intelligent robots was designed to support the Made in China 2025 industrial strategy - China's plan to upgrade its manufacturing capabilities and drive innovation in advanced technology sectors.[2] The strategy explicitly promotes 'military-civil fusion', encouraging the transfer of manufacturing-related defence technologies to civilian industry and vice versa.[3] It also calls for robotics research to 'focus on the application needs of industrial robots, special robots such as for automobiles, machinery, electronics, dangerous goods manufacturing, national defence and the military industry'.[4]

Another member of the institute's leadership team was a chief expert of the National Key Basic Research and Development Programme of China (commonly known as the 973 Programme).[5] The 973 Programme, which operated between 1997 and 2016, was a major government funding initiative designed to advance fundamental scientific research and strengthen China's capacity for innovation in dual-use and strategic fields.[6] It has historically funded research related to unmanned systems and hypersonic technologies - fields that have close intersections with the researcher's areas of expertise in photoelectric imaging, photoelectric tracking, image processing, and target recognition.[7] The researcher self-proclaimed their research aligned with China's hypersonic (or at the very minimum depending on context, missiles) development strategy.[8]

Other members of the institute's leadership have possibly not served on defence-related expert committees. However, because the underlying data are outdated and lack sufficient details, this assessment is made with low confidence, and such service by any member of the leadership cannot be fully ruled out.

Defence awards

Available information indicates that Shenyang Institute of Automation researchers have received at least six separate defence awards over time. These are all separate instances of the National Defence Science and Technology Progress Award.[9]

Of the six identified awards, the date is only known for one. This was a National Defence Science and Technology Progress Award granted to a department within the institute in 2007.[10] A second award was undated, but because it was associated with a centre of the institute itself rather than a researcher,[11] our analysis can confidently confirm a connection between the award and Shenyang Institute of Automation research. The final three awards are three separate instances of the National Defence Science and Technology Progress award being granted to one individual researcher. The dates are not known for any of the awards,[12] but further analysis of the researcher found that they have spent their entire career at the Shenyang Institute of Automation.[13] As a result, our analysis can confidently connect all six of these awards to research at the Shenyang Institute of Automation.

While Shenyang Institute of Automation researchers and projects have received six defence awards prior to 2021, no awards have been granted in recent years. However, incomplete data and insufficient source detail prevent confirmation of whether awards were received during researchers' employment at the institute. This assessment is therefore made with medium confidence. Awards granted to individuals not surveyed, or awards granted prior to their affiliation or more recently, cannot be fully ruled out.

Defence funding

Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Shenyang Institute of Automation authored 6 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 18th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 1,640 Shenyang Institute of Automation authors who published during this period, 11 (1 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

The Shenyang Institute of Automation itself is also called the "National Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Systems".[14] No publicly available information suggests that this is a known defence laboratory.

However, this laboratory references links to defence activities on its Chinese language website.

National Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Systems

Name National Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Systems [机器人与智能系统全国重点实验室]
Research topics Robotics, intelligent manufacturing, optoelectronic information technology
Defence ties The entity's website states that it has made "outstanding contributions to national economy, social development and national security."[15] An example is given, stating that the institute's efforts in tracking and monitoring the launch of the Shenzhou spacecraft "has been praised and commended by the Central Military Commission, the National Defence Science and Technology Commission and the General Armament Department."[16] The latter two entities have since been reformed into the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), and the Equipment Development Department of the Central Military Commission respectively, central actors in China's defence ecosystem. However, the older names indicate that this relationship hasn't continued post reforms (2008 and 2016), or that it is no longer publicly discussed.

Military-technology patents

Between 2021 and 2025, the Shenyang Institute of Automation was granted 13 military-technology patents, placing it in the 82nd percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of 86 inventors affiliated with the Shenyang Institute of Automation inventors were listed on these patents.

Research collaboration with defence entities

Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Shenyang Institute of Automation co-authored 440 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 63rd percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.

These collaborations include 12 publications with PLA academic institutions, 215 with defence laboratories, 2 with military hospitals, 123 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 118 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry, and 17 with defence conglomerates.

Of the 1,640 Shenyang Institute of Automation authors who published during this period, 569 (35 per cent) had at least one defence-related collaboration.

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Notes

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.

  1. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2015. 'Liu Lianqing (Deputy Director)' [刘连庆(副主任)]. State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Systems. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. 2026. 'Liu Lianqing, male, doctoral supervisor, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences.' [刘连庆 男 博导 中国科学院沈阳自动化研究所]. As of 5 March 2026. Shenyang Institute of Automation [沈阳自动化研究所]. 2025. 'The launch meeting for the National Key Research and Development Program's "Intelligent Robots" key project was held in Shenyang.' [国家重点研发计划"智能机器人"重点专项项目启动会在沈阳召开]. Shenyang Branch, Chinese Academy of Sciences. As of 5 March 2026. Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. 2026. 'Outstanding Youth: Liu Lianqiang.' [杰出青年: 刘连庆]. As of 5 March 2026.
  2. Ministry of Science and Technology [科技部]. 2016. 'Reply to Proposal No. 4378 (No. 412 in the Industry, Transportation, Postal and Telecommunications Category) of the Fourth Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.' [关于政协十二届全国委员会第四次会议第4378号(工交邮电类412号)提案答复的函]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
  3. PRC State Council. 2015. 'Notice of the State Council on the Publication of Made in China 2025'. Center for Security and Emerging Technology. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
  4. PRC State Council. 2015. 'Notice of the State Council on the Publication of Made in China 2025'. Center for Security and Emerging Technology. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
  5. Baike Baidu. 2023. 'Shi Zelin.' [史泽林]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
  6. Li, Liu. 2009. 'Research Priorities and Priority-Setting in China.' Vinnova Analysis. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴ Springut, Micah, Stephen Schlaikjer & David Chen. 2011. 'China's Program for Science and Technology Modernization: Implications for American Competitiveness'. Prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. As of 5 March 2026.
  7. 2017. 'China's Advanced Weapons. Hearing Before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. One Hundred Fifteenth Congress First Session.' U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴ Wood, Peter, & Roger Cliff. 2020. 'A Case Study of the PRC's Hypersonic Systems Development.' China Aerospace Studies Institute. As of 5 March 2026.
  8. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2021. 'Shi Zelin was named an Advanced Worker of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.' [史泽林获评中国科学院先进工作者]. Weixin. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
  9. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2008. 'The Shenyang Institute of Automation held its 2007 Annual Work Summary and Commendation Conference.' [沈阳自动化所隆重举行2007年度工作总结暨表彰大会]. 18 February. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴ Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2017. 'Shi Zelin was awarded the title of "National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Worker"' [史泽林获评"全国优秀科技工作者"称号]. 15 February. As of 8 April 2026. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2026. 'Center of Marine Information Technology and Engineering.' [海洋信息技术装备中心]. As of 8 April 2026.
  10. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2008. 'The Shenyang Institute of Automation held its 2007 Annual Work Summary and Commendation Conference.' [沈阳自动化所隆重举行2007年度工作总结暨表彰大会]. 18 February. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  11. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2026. 'Center of Marine Information Technology and Engineering.' [海洋信息技术装备中心]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  12. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2017. 'Shi Zelin was awarded the title of "National Outstanding Scientific and Technological Worker"' [史泽林获评"全国优秀科技工作者"称号]. 15 February. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  13. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 2026. 'Shi Zelin.' [史泽林]. As of 7 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  14. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2025. 'Institutional Profile.' [机构简介]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  15. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2025. 'Institutional Profile.' [机构简介]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
  16. Shenyang Institute of Automation. 2025. 'Fact Sheet.' [概况介绍]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴