TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIIONS IN WESTERN SINKIANG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005800030003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 9, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: January 20, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005800030003-5
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law.
CONFIDENTIAL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY China/USSR
SUBJECT Transportation and Communications
in Western Sinkiang
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 20 January 1955
NO. OF PAGES 2 25X1 , ~
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Communications, Kashgar and P'uli
4. From. early 1949 to late'' 1952, there `were no private telephones in Kashgar. All
telephones were for official use only and for local calls only. Connections were
made by giving the operator the name of brhe person being called. In 1949 there
were about 30 telephones in Kashgar; in 1952. there were over 100 telephones,. During
the Chinese Nationalist regime the telephones were old-fashioned, hand-rung types
CONFIDENTIAL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Transportation in Western Sinkiang 25X1
1. In 1951 the Soviet-Chinese Civil Aviation Company (SKOGA), with headquarters at
Urumchi (N 43-38, E 87-35), operated flights from Urumchi to Peiping, Kashgar
(N 39-29, E 75-58), and Alma Ata. The airline made two round-trip flights a week
between Urumchi and Kashgar and occasionally stopped at Aksu (N 41-15, E 8014)
and Ining (N 43-55, E 81-141 during these flights. SKOGA also made flights between
Kashgar and Yarkand (N 38'.24, E 77-16), but these were infrequent and not a regular
service. The planes used by the airline were Dakotas with Soviet markings and were
flown by Soviet pilots. The planes on the Urumchi-Kashgar flight carried, air mail,
officials in transit between the two cities, and some civilian passengers. A
ticket f--.r a one-way flight for civilian passengers cost 95 rupees. Civilian
passengers were required to obtain a certificate from their local mohalla (sic)
police station before purchasing a ticket.
2. The Kashgar office of the airline was at the airfield outside Kashgar. The office
was staffed with Chinese officials, and Chinese ground crews serviced t,.}m' plane::.
The Soviet pilots and technicians assigned to the airline to train Ch.ineAc techn_ -
clans lived at the airfield in their own barracks.
3. In 1952 the Soviet railway in Kirghiz S.S.R. extended from Osh (N 40-32) E 72-48) to
Irkeshtem (N 39.42,E 73?50),1 Plans had been made to extend this railway from
Irkeshtam to Kashgar, and, ultimately, across southern Sinkiang; but in 1952 no
construction work bad started on the Sinkiang side.
NAVY X AIR x' IFBI I I AEC
J."
Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005800030003-5
 Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005800030003-5
CONFIDENTIAL e U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY
that usually hung on the wall. The Communists replaced these with modern instruments
and built a new telephone exchange near Tushak Gate in Old Kashgar. The telephone
system was administered by the Chinese postal department in Kashgar. Maintenance
was done by Chinese and Turkis.
5, In 1952 there were no privately owned radio sets in Kashgar with the exception of
those in the possession of foreigners resident there. The Chinese Communists
installed radio sets in various People's Clubs around Kashgar and broadcast a
daily Turki propaganda program from Urumchi for the benefit of the native Kashgar
populace.
6. By late 1952 the old Nationalist wireless station at P'uli (N 3747, E 7514) had
been completely rebuilt and enlarged. Larger antennas consisting of five 20-foot
iron rods joined at the tops by wires had also been added.
Comments Ithe extension of the Andizhan
0) E 72-30 railway from Osh eastward in the direction of Irkeshtam and
Kashgar was begun during the summer of 1952.
Approved For Release 2008/06/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005800030003-5