About Cheng Kaijia
Lived 1918 – 2018 (aged 100). Cheng Kaijia was a Chinese physicist, nuclear physicist, politician and engineer.
Cheng Kaijia (; 3 August 1918 – 17 November 2018), also known as Kai Chia Cheng, was a Chinese nuclear engineer and nuclear physicist. He was a pioneer and key figure in Chinese nuclear weapon development. He is known as one of the founding fathers of Two Bombs, One Satellite.
Life Cheng was born in Wujiang, Jiangsu in 1918. He graduated from the Department of Physics of Zhejiang University in 1941. In 1946, he went to the United Kingdom to study at the University of Edinburgh, obtaining a PhD in 1948 under advisor Max Born.
In 1999, he was awarded "Two Bombs and One Satellite Meritorious Award" by President Jiang Zemin for his contribution on atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb. In July 2017, Chairman Xi Jinping awarded Cheng the Order of August First, the highest military award of People's Republic of China.
He died on 17 November 2018, three months after his 100th birthday.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Cheng Kaijia?
Chinese physicist (1918-2018)
When was Cheng Kaijia born?
Cheng Kaijia was born on 3 August 1918 in Suzhou.
When did Cheng Kaijia die?
Cheng Kaijia died on 17 November 2018 in Beijing.
What was Cheng Kaijia's occupation?
Cheng Kaijia was a physicist, nuclear physicist, politician and engineer.
What nationality was Cheng Kaijia?
Cheng Kaijia was Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Cheng Kaijia. https://biography.guide/cheng-kaijia/
MLA: "Cheng Kaijia." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/cheng-kaijia/.
Chicago: "Cheng Kaijia." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/cheng-kaijia/.
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