The architects behind China's most ambitious weapons programs are disappearing. Since the US operation in Venezuela in January, key figures associated with aircraft carrier construction, advanced fighter design, radar systems, air defense missiles, and strategic weapons have been removed from public view or demoted from their positions.

Miles Yu names five key figures in The Washington Times. Hu Yongming, the top scientist for naval aviation and carrier development. Yang Wei, the leading designer of the J-10 and J-20 fighter aircraft. Wu Manqing, the PLA's leading radar and counter-stealth specialist. Wei Yiyin, a senior figure in air defense missile research. And Zhao Xiangeng, a key figure in advanced nuclear weapons design. Yu writes that their sudden disappearances suggest not isolated incidents but a broader dismantling of the technical leadership behind China's military modernization.

Then there are the unexplained deaths. Fang Daining, 68, and Yan Hong, 57 - China's two leading hypersonic weapons researchers - died unexpectedly within weeks of the Venezuela operation while still active in their work. Yu notes that the lack of clear explanations has fueled speculation about the high-pressure environment within China's defense research establishment.

According to Yu, these developments reveal a deeper systemic problem. The CCP's model does not allow for open acknowledgment of failure. When inadequacies surface - especially under comparison with US military performance - the instinct is to hold individuals responsible while leaving systemic problems untouched. By removing experienced leaders and scientists, the system undermines its own capacity for learning.

The climate of fear discourages honest reporting and critical analysis, Yu argues, reinforcing the very patterns of overstatement and underperformance that led to failure in the first place. Innovation becomes riskier, and truth becomes more dangerous than error. As long as this dynamic persists, each demonstration of US military superiority will not only challenge China externally but destabilize it from within.

Earlier, Hvylya reported on how China's grip on critical minerals gives it leverage over Western arsenals.