Qian Xuesen, also known as Tsien Hsue-shen, was one of the United States' top missile scientists before he became the subject of a five-year witch-hunt that ended with him being deported to the mainland. The system which Qian, now 98, helped put together after his return has since nurtured a nuclear power and space programme that has sent astronauts into the heavens and a probe to the moon.
In 1935, Qian left China amid warlord chaos and foreign aggression. He moved to the US where he would become a co-founder of its missile programme.
After Qian was labelled a communist in 1950, it took five years before Beijing and Washington reached a deal that would see his return to the mainland.
Mao Zedong and other communist leaders rolled out the red carpet for Qian, on whom they pinned hopes for rapid technical improvement in China's home-grown weapons industry.
Qian did not let them down.
In 1960, China successfully test-fired its first home-grown ground missile under Qian's direct stewardship. Qian also played key roles in the country's ground-breaking nuclear tests later that decade.
