Zhou Xinmin (politician, born 1969)

Zhou Xinmin (Chinese: 周新民; born November 1969) is a Chinese aerospace engineer and business executive who previously served as chairman and Party secretary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). He earlier held senior leadership positions in the Chinese aviation industry, including vice chairman and general manager of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). Zhou was also a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and the 14th National People's Congress, although his deputy qualification for the latter was revoked in February 2026.^[1]

Zhou was born in November 1969 in Linchuan District, Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. He began working in August 1991 and joined the Chinese Communist Party in June 1999. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical manufacturing technology and equipment from Northwestern Polytechnical University, and later obtained a Master of Engineering degree in mechanical engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He holds the professional rank of research fellow-level senior engineer.^[2]

Zhou began his career in August 1991 at Factory 372, later part of the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation, where he worked as a process engineer and later as deputy director of a technical office. From 1999 onward he held a series of technical and managerial posts at Changhe Aircraft Industries, including director of the CAM section of the process department, deputy director of the engineering and technology department of the helicopter division, and later director of the engineering and technology department, chief process engineer, and Party branch secretary.^[3]

In August 2007, Zhou became deputy chief engineer and concurrently director of the engineering and technology department and chief process engineer at Changhe Aircraft Industries. He was appointed deputy general manager of the company in March 2009, and in October 2011 became deputy general manager and chief engineer while also serving as chairman of the company's science and technology committee. In May 2013 he was promoted to director and general manager of Changhe Aircraft Industries, concurrently serving as deputy Party secretary, chief engineer, chairman of the science and technology committee, and general counsel. In January 2016 he became chairman and Party secretary of the company.^[4]

In January 2018, Zhou was appointed deputy general manager and member of the Party committee of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. In July 2018 he became a member of the Party standing committee and deputy general manager of the company. In February 2023 he was promoted to vice chairman, general manager, and deputy Party secretary of COMAC.^[5][6]

In March 2024, Zhou was appointed chairman and Party secretary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, replacing the previous leadership while being relieved of his positions at COMAC. In October 2024 he attended and delivered remarks at a signing ceremony for the joint establishment of a helicopter research institute by Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and AVIC. In July 2025 his biography was removed from the official website of AVIC.^[7]

Zhou has received several professional honors, including recognition as an “Advanced Individual” in the national 863 Program CIMS initiative, the Youth Science and Technology Award of the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and awards for contributions to manufacturing informatization in Jiangxi Province. He has also received multiple national and provincial-level scientific and technological achievement awards and holds several defense-related and utility model patents.^[8]

Zhou served as a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress and the 14th National People's Congress. In February 2026, his qualification as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress was revoked and his representative status was terminated in accordance with the law.^[1][9]