Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yao Yunzhu is director emeritus of the Center on China-American Defense Relations and member of the Academic Committee, National Think Tank Project, both at the People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Science in China. A prominent analyst of nuclear issues, she has published and translated numerous books and articles on military and security issues. She first joined the PLA in 1970. She was elected as a member of the 10th National People's Congress of China in 2003 and a member of the 17th National Congress of the CCP in 2007. She is an international leader of Global Zero, a prominent international movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons.