Xie Jialin, a physicist and academic with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, died of natural causes on Saturday morning in Beijing at the age of 96.

Xie was key to the research and development of high energy accelerators in China.

Born in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province in 1920, Xie graduated from Yenching University in 1943, and gained his doctorate from Stanford University in 1951.

During his time in the United States, Xie led the manufacture of the then highest-energy electronic linear accelerator used for cancer treatment.

After returning to China in 1955, he led the design and development of the country's first electronic linear accelerator and first electron-positron collider.

Xie also contributed to the education and training of Chinese physicists.

He was awarded the State Top Scientific and Technological Award in 2012.(Xinhua)