Liu Yunbin

Liu Yunbin (1925 – 21 November 1967) was a Chinese nuclear chemist and the son of former president of China Liu Shaoqi.

Early life Liu was born on 1925 in Anyuan District of Pingxiang to Liu Shaoqi and He Baozhen. When he was two years old, he was sent back to Liu Shaoqi's hometown in Ningxiang County, Hunan for foster care. In 1934, his mother was executed while in captivity by the Kuomintang.

In July 1938, the Chinese Communist Party brought Liu to Yan'an to reunite with his father. In the autumn of the same year, at the age of 13, Liu started studying at Yan'an Education Primary School.

When your personal interest is in conflict with the interest of the Party, I believe you can sacrifice your own interest for the sake of the Party and the country."

In 1957, he returned to China, where he resided in his father's residence in Zhongnanhai for a few days, before moving to Fangshan County, Shanxi, 50 kilometers away from Beijing, to work at the China Institute of Atomic Energy (Institute 401), which was one of the earliest nuclear weapons research institutes in China. He made outstanding contributions to nuclear energy research and was awarded the title of associate researcher.

Downfall and death In 1966 the Cultural Revolution began and Liu was sent to work, where he was tasked with cleaning and digging sewage ditches and other unskilled work. In July 1966, Liu Shaoqi was denounced as a "capitalist roader" and "traitor", and was removed from his position as Party Deputy chairman by Lin Biao.

Personal life During his time in the Soviet Union, Liu married a Russian woman named Mara Fedotova. The couple had two children; a son named Alexei (Russian: Алексей Климович Федото, Alexei Klimovich Fedotov; Chinese: 刘维宁, Liu Weining) and a daughter named Sonya.

His request to travel to China was rejected as his occupation involved military secrecy. The denial of his request led him to grow anxious to travel to China and therefore to retire from the Russian military early. When his request to travel to China was refused again he filed a lawsuit and in 2003 managed to visit China for the first time, where he met with Liu Shaoqi's living family members, including his wife Wang Guangmei.

He decided to settle in China, where he presently manages an organization called 'Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs' that facilitates trade between China and Russia in Guangzhou. Alexei and his wife have two children, including a daughter named Margarita who is currently serving as the vice chairman of the Russian-Asian Industrial Entrepreneurs Association and Russia-Philippine Business Council.

Liu's daughter Sonya married a Russian American and is currently settled in the United States.