1. SOVIET ACTIVITIES IN SINKIANG 2. CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN SINKIANG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000900270008-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 21, 2009
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: April 14, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/09/21: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA000900270008-5
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SECRET/CONTROL, - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY China/USSR
SUBJECT 1. Soviet Activities in Sinkiang
2. Conditions in Southern Sinkiang
25X1
REPORT
DATE DISTR. .14 April 1953
NO. OF PAGES 5
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Soviets in Sinkiang province
1. Although outwardly Sinkiang Province is dominated by and forms a part of
Communist China, it is in reality supervised by the Soviet'Union, although
Russians are in evidence only in connection with hospitals, and'with'
engineering projects such as road-building and mining.
2. The USSR controls the fertile Ili and Altai regionsl and has constructed
a number of secret military installations in the mountains. There are
also secret installations in the Chuguohak (N 46-45, E 82-57) area which
employ many laborers under army control, but the product made in them is
not known. There is little movemeht of people in these areas, and
persons wishing to visit them must obtain a special entry card which is
issued only in exceptional cir,cumstances.2
Road Construction
In the fall of 1952 the road which the Soviets were building with the
assistance of the Chinese Communists from Przheval'sk (N 42-30, E
78-24),
Kirghiz SSR, to Khotan (N 37-07, E 79-55) via'Ak'osu (N 41-08, E
79-56)
and the Takla Makan Desert (N 39- , E 83- ), was half finished.
About
45,000 men, three-fourths of whom were prisoners or forced labor, were
working night and day on this road and on its extension from Khotan to
Tibet, Until recently the Soviet Russians used a roundabout road from
Kuldia (N 43-55, E 81-14) to Kashgar B.7.5-58) which passed
ythroi*.h.e Kazakh SSR and Kirghiz SSR.and reentered Sinkiang either by
the route from Atbashi (N 41-10, E 75-50) to Kashgar or-'via Guloha
(N.40-15, E 73-30) and Sufi Kurghan (N 40-02, E 73-30).4 The new route
is more direct and is hidden in the mountains, making for easier trans-
portation of war materials. The reason for the new road appears to be
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the recent move of Soviet factories to the areas of Ili, Altai and Chuguchak.5
The road would also permit the movement of Soviet troops to Tibet.
4. In 1952 the construction of a new road from Urumohi (N 43-48, E 87-35) to
Khotan was started, but the road was not completed.6
5. The road from Turfaw (sic), Kazakh SSR, to Kashgar and Artash7 had been metaled
by the fall of 1952. A railway line also connects the two places, so that
communication has become easy ( -5).
Mining;
6. The Soviets have exploited the mines in the city of Arastan8 in the Ili area.
Deposits of wolfram, coal and uranium have been found in the Altai region.
7. Uranium has been discovered in the Urumohi area.
8. A petroleum field has found in the Chuguchak and Karakondah (sic) area. The
Soviets were also exploiting a gold mine in the Altai region.
9. From the mines in Survuloff (sio) 60 miles from Kashgar, the following mine-
ral products were being obtained: petroleum, coal, copper sheets (sic) and
lead.
10. Iron ores have been exploited in the Egskorovol (sic) area.
11. In the fall.of 1952 the Soviets were exploiting a mine in the vicinity of
Ulugh Chat (N 39-48, E 74-1616 employing some 35,000 Sinkiangese who dressed
like and resembled Russians. Each night material taken from'this mine was
transported to the USSR. This is not a gold mine but produces a sort of
stone.11
Aircraft Factor
12. A large aircraft factory has been constructed in a 32-kilometer area (sic)
between the mountains near Tut'ungh.o (N 43-59, E 87-22). The area. is
restricted and under military control. Thousands of workmen are employed
in this factory.12
Airfie Ids
13. An airfield has been constructed at ?'uli (N 37-1.7, E 75-14).
14. Russian engineers were brought for the construction of anlgirfield and a
large number of buildings at Kara Kol (N 42-17, E 82-48).
15. Imports to Sinkiang from the USSR in. the fall of.1952 j .ncluded sugar, oloth.,
matches, cigarettes, wine, sewingmaahihes, tractors and,bicycles. Sinkiang's
exports to the USSR were silk, hides, and wheat.14
16. In the fall of 1952 there was much motor traffic between Sinkiang and the
USSR, with the vehicles moving at night.
17. Cooperative stores have been set up in all parts of Sinkiang, and essential
aonunodities imported from China proper and the USSR are cheap. Foodstuffs
are obtainable, only with permits issued by the government)-5
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- 3 -
18. The currency recognized in Sinkiang is the kochu, said to be the price of
eight sheep.
19. taxes t were trextr ade wasestill permitted in Sinkiang in the fall of 1952 but the
20. No one was permitted to keep any considerable amount
s'9 of mone on his erson
or in his home or place of busine.
Chinese Communist Troops
21. In the fall of 1952 the number Of Chinese Communist troops in Sinkiang had
increased. Private homes had been requisitioned to aooonuno date the surplus
troops.18
22. There were two divisions stationed at Kashgar, including some Russian sol-
diers wearing karakul caps and speaking the Uzbek dialect. These men tended
to keep apart from the others. The commanding officer was Aminov, a Uzbek.19
Chinese.Communist Regime
23. The Chinese Communists recognize-the followingg political groups in Sinkiang:
Khansu (Chinese), Shewah (Almof), Solononevor2O, Taranohi, Uzbek, Kazakh,
Kirghiz, Tatar, Tungan, and Tadjik.
24. In a single year US $10,300,000 were collected for the armies in Korea by
compulsory"donations.21 No one has courage to oppose this system of collec-
ting funds, which is expected to continue.
25. Travel documents are required for persons traveling from one town to another
in Sinkiang i'rovinoe ( -2).
26. The only permitted route for pilgrimages to Mecca was via Peiping. fajis
who tried this route did not reach Peiping in time to make the pilgrimage,
nor did they return` to Sinkiang. IIa jis who returned from Mecca by way of
Pakistan were imprisoned for two months awaiting results of investigations.22
27. In December 1952 a group of 70 persons, believed to be Moslems, who went to,
Peiping in connection with religious reforms, had not yet returned, nor had
any word of them been received during their three-months' absence.
28. In the fall of 1952 the officials in Kashgar were as follows:23
Chief of Police Abdur:Rahim, a Kashgari
Assistant Chief of Police Awak, a Chinese
Governor Saifuddin, from Ili
Chief Officer Yakub haji, from near Kashgar
Frontier Guards
29. The border of Russian Turkestan was completely closed on the Sinkiang side,
crossing from one side to the other was not permitted.
30. The Soviets had put barbed wire along their frontier from the border of
Afghanistan to Kyzyl Rabat (N 37-28, E 74-45), so that the border cannot be
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crossed on foot or on horseback. A barbed wire barrier has been set up
across the paved road, so arranged that tampering with it turns on a bright
light which alerts the border guards. The woods nearby have been cleared
by burning.
31. Large hangars, capable of aocoxmiiodating many planes, have been built from
Karatash to Kazilrabash (sio).24 Trenches have been dug and barbed wire
set up. People have been fleeing from Russian Turkestan because of a food
shortage in that area.
Comments
(these areas are the districts
of which the chief cities are Kuldja (Ili) and Sharasume (Altai).
travel from southern Sinkiang to Kuldja and Chuguchak
was olo sod.
The road from Sufi K:urghan would presumable enter Sinkiang via Irkesh-
tam. The Atbashi-Kashgar-road would be the same as the Naryn?Kashgar
25X1
6.
jin January 1952
construction was begun on a highway from Urumohi to narashar which was
designed to shorten the route from Urumchi to southern Sinkiang.
[Comments
7. This is
probably Artush (N 38-58,
E 75-50).
8. This is
probably Arasan (N 44-59,
E 81-04).
C
omments
'
'
9. This M
ay
be Sughluk (N 39-04, E 76
-10).
petroleum, copper, iron, coal and lead
deposits were then known in the general vicinity of Kashgar, although
not in a single, mining area.
a Sino-Soviet company
was prospecting in this area, employing 800 or 900 carefully screened
,_,_-- -
in construction of some kind at Ulugh Chat.
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Comments
former Soviet aircraft factory at Tut'ungh.o, dismantled
13. The coordinates have been supplied on the assumption that Kara Kol in
Sinkiang was meant. It is possible that the reference is to Przhevallsk,
formerly called Kara Kol but the presence
of Soviet engineers in the Kirghiz SSR seems less wor y of mention. 25X1
The same objection applies to Kara Kol (N 39-00, E 73-30) in the Tadzhik
.SSR.
for flour only.
o copper, coal, iron, zinc, and petroleum.
the Ulugh Chat area contains deposits
the arrival of
large numbers of Chinese Communist troops in southwestern Sinkiang
during the summer of 1952.
Turki from Artush.
20. The first three groups mentioned may be the Han (Chinese), Uighurs and
population indicate that the following groups are not recognized: Manchus,
Mongols and Sibos. The omission of the Mongols is probably an error.
24. Karatash is at N 40-32, E 74-00. If "Kazilrabash" refers to Kyzyl Rabat,
the distance between these points renders the statement somewhat improbable.
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all stores had been nationalized. 25X1
private business was discouraged.
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