Yunnan Observatories
Profile
| Official Chinese name | 中国科学院云南天文台 |
|---|---|
| Official English name | Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Chinese aliases | 云南天文台, 中央研究院天文研究所 |
| English aliases | Institute of Astronomy of Academia Sinica |
| Acronyms | YNAO |
| Research fields | Astronomy, astrophysics and related disciplines |
| Total employee count | 298 (as of April 2025) |
Summary
Yunnan Observatories is categorised as a Limited Defence Partner based on the following indicators:
- Defence advisor
- 1 indicator
- Defence award
- 2 indicators
- Defence funding
- 2 indicators
- Defence laboratory
- 2 indicators
- Military-technology patent
- 2 indicators
- Research collaboration with defence entities
- 3 indicators
A limited defence partner contributes to the development of China’s defence capabilities in ways that are limited in time, frequency, scope or scale. Evidence indicates that participation has either ceased or if it persists, it is narrow in scope, not institutionalised and occurs through isolated or infrequent activities led by individual researchers, rather than through sustained programmes or organisational commitments.
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 Yunnan Observatories have probably not served on defence-related expert committees. While information on relevant staff is available and current, it lacks sufficient detail to rule out all potential ties. This assessment is therefore made with medium confidence.
Defence awards
Available information indicates that researchers and projects linked to Yunnan Observatories have received at least three separate defence awards over time. These include one National Defence Science and Technology Award, one Military Science and Technology Progress Award, and one Yunnan Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker Award.[1]
Of the three awards, dates are known for two: a 2022 Military Science and Technology Progress Award and a 2022 Yunnan Most Beautiful Science and Technology Worker Award.[2] The date of the National Defence Science and Technology Award is not known, and because the researcher had worked at other institutes,[3] our analysis was unable to confirm that this award was connected to Yunnan Observatories.
Researchers and projects at Yunnan Observatories have probably received two defence awards since 2021. However, as some of the available sources lacked significant detail, our analysis was unable to confidently confirm whether the awards were directly tied to work conducted at the institute. The assessment is therefore made with medium confidence. Additional awards, whether granted to the institute, to researchers prior to their affiliation, or awarded more recently, cannot be fully ruled out due to missing or incomplete data.
Defence funding
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory authored four publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 10th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 714 authors affiliated with the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory who published during this period, six (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
No publicly available information suggests that this institute hosts or is affiliated with any known defence laboratories. However, one laboratory, not categorised as a defence laboratory, referenced links to defence activities on its Chinese‑language website. General references to promoting national security or defence are common on CAS laboratory websites. These statements often serve as broad affirmations of alignment with national policy objectives – a routine expression of support for government priorities that can be important for maintaining institutional standing, access to funding or official recognition – rather than firm evidence that the laboratory conducts defence-related research.
Yunnan Applied Astronomical Technology Engineering Centre
| Name | Yunnan Applied Astronomical Technology Engineering Centre [云南省应用天文技术工程中心] |
|---|---|
| Research topics | Large-scale optoelectronic instruments, astronomical exploration technology, information processing |
| Defence ties | According to its website, this laboratory provides technical support for national defence.[4] |
Military-technology patents
Between 2021 and 2025, the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory was granted one military technology patent, placing it in the 39th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of eight inventors affiliated with the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory were listed on these patents.
Research collaboration with defence entities
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory co-authored 274 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 39th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.
These collaborations include 3 publications with PLA academic institutions, 232 with defence laboratories, 45 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence and 8 with members of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry.
Of the 714 authors affiliated with the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory who published during this period, 256 (36 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.
- Yunnan Observatories. 2023. 'Senior Engineer: Yang Ganhu.' [高级工程师：杨赣虎]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴ Yunnan Observatories. 2023. 'Senior Engineer: Di Dongsheng.' [高级工程师：翟东升]. As of 8 April 2026. Baike Baidu. 2024. 'Han Zhanwen.' [韩占文]. As of 8 April 2026.
- Yunnan Observatories. 2023. 'Senior Engineer: Di Dongsheng.' [高级工程师：翟东升]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴ Baike Baidu. 2024. 'Han Zhanwen.' [韩占文]. As of 8 April 2026.
- Yunnan Observatories. 2023. 'Senior Engineer: Yang Ganhu.' [高级工程师：杨赣虎]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴
- Yunnan Observatories. 2023. 'Yunnan Applied Astronomical Technology Engineering Centre.' [云南省应用天文技术工程中心]. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴