RUSSIAN COLONY IN SHANGHAI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040201-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 19, 2011
• Sequence Number: 201
• Publication Date: May 29, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040201-4
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDBNTIAL~
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
1. The Russian colony in Shanghai now L5953
7consists of about 200 sts*r i as
"White" Russians carrying International Refugee Organization L-1RJ papers,
and about two thousand carrying Soviet papers. This figure does
include Soviet advisers or Soviet
A few c.f
ULAU e group have or had Chinese passports but the Communist.
authorities no longer recognize these passports. Nearly all of the
25X1 two thousand Soviet Russians took out their Soviet pap,crs in 1946-47 and
'-are part of the original "White" Russian colony. !(an,; Russians of both groups
have left Shanghai since 1949 to go to Brazil, Canada and Australia. While
25X1 most of the Soviet citizen` are such in name only, some are convinced
Communists, and among the Soviet citizens have emigrated are a number
25X1 of the convinced Communists. a few of these managed to
for Canada.This may repreaen a az because the USSR consularofficials visas
25X1 in Shanghai when granting Soviet citizens permission to emigrate gird them
detailed instructions of how to get in touch with the USSR diplomatic or
consular establishment nearest to their now places of reeiaenca ?n"
a :z ge t,;--.
to do so.
2. There is much unemployment in the Shanghai Russian colony. Just before
Christmas 1952 the Chinese authorities called on the Soviet's Citizens
Associatiot, to prepare a list of indigent Soviet citizens. The Association
submitted a list of 400 names, which did not include "stateless" Russian-
indigents. The Chinese authorities checked the list and removed about
half
the name. Presumably thnan mss.., a+a ? . some assets.
ze ~.s ly be minimal; probably a fey pounds
o rice per week.
CLASSIFICATION CWWMZM~
state-E~' I T'T Q
t3ntlgl fYr?
0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040201-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040201-4
CONFIDENTIAL
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
-..-y t tSU-LMi,l Une.
one Soviet citizen as jailed by the Chinese authorities for a year or.
a tax evasion char d then expelled, refuse to interfere in such cases. orities
v P citizens and stateless" Russians. They are equally
subject to arrest by the fhinoao
4. Many Russians including some Soviet citizens have been receiving assistance
from IRO. It does not amount to much; "not enough to live on but tot much to
die" as the Russians say.
5. About 150 Soviet citizens are employed teaching the Russian language to Chinese
at a school*zch the Chinese authorities have established at K'"angwan. T3
obtain an appointment as a language instructor the applicant must pass
examinations on the hi,tory of the Communist party, the constitution, (Stalin's)
of the USSR, and dialectic materialism. Stalin on world economy has recently
been added to the required subjects. No examination is given in the language.
6. In ordinary dealings with Russian residents the Chinese authorities made no
distinction betweE, So i t
11
exhausted their severance pay they appli
ed fororeeemnt and
ploy,nentninhtheirdold jobs.
Some were taken back but on Chinese pay scales.
When the Chinese authorities tcok over the public utilities in Shanghai they
discharged all foreign employees including Russians, both "stateless" and
Soviet citizens. All discharged employees received severance pay. A number
of the Russians were unable to find other e 1
was pressed to contribute to the various Communist bond drives, norRwereathey
asked to participate in Communist parades or demonstrations. The Chinese
authorities evidently did not wish foreigners to participate in any governmental
activities as foreigners were never made members of the block committee.:,
relations with even the Soviet Citizen's AssociationLUareelimitedcandnlfo": at.
,: Soviet citizen deals with the USSR Consulate only for the renewal of hl
passport and to obtain permission to emigrate. In the latter case he must first
clear with the Rnvin+ n4+4.,,._- -__... _
nim before the Association will clear an applicant i, -etluirprg
to pay n
all b
k d
p
ac
ues and charges a fee as well;
8. Illustrating the gap between the USSR consular authorities and the local
Soviet citizens, when a Soviet ballet troupe visited Shanghai under Soviet
government auspices in 1952, local So'-iet citizens were refused permission to
attend the performances.
9. The "stateless" Russians in Shanghai ire of course bitterly opposed to the
Chinese Communist regime and critical of it In n11 _
ec not dare express a derogatory sil ~uviei cit~z