Controversy haunts likely death of China’s hypersonic weapons expert Fang Daining

Fang Daining, a key scientist in China’s hypersonic weapons programme, has died at the age of 68, according to an image of an obituary notice that began circulating on Chinese social media last week.Early online discussions included claims that Fang, who was also a Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) member, the country’s highest academic title in science and technology, suffered an unexpected medical episode during a work trip to South Africa.The China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post could not confirm the online claims.Some social media users said they were told not to photograph the obituary, a claim the SCMP was also unable to verify.Fang, who studied super-strong materials for spacecraft and advanced engines at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), a key defence research university, “died of illness on February 27”, the obituary said.“Fang’s passing is a major loss to China’s mechanics community, the field of advanced materials and structures, and higher education. We mourn his death with deep sorrow.”