ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE CHINA-TONKIN BORDER AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R008200640004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2006
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: August 1, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/02/06 : CIA-RDP82-00457R008200640004-1
CLASSIFICATION CCNFID ITIAT.JCONTat0L - U. S. OFFICIh.LS 9NLY-'
INTEL` UJ AX 1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Indochina/China
SUBJECT Economic Conditions in the china-Tonkin
25X1 Border Area
PLACE
ACQUIRE[
DATE OF
INFO.
OF ENCLS.
DO NOT CIRCULATE REPORT OTTo
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
L Vale travel across the China-Tonkin border was permitted from early 2.947 to
early 1950, only government officials have been permitted to cross the frontier
since May 1950. The ban on travel has imposed hardships 'on Vietnamese living
in Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) areas,, as they formerly obtained cloth,
medical supplies and luxury articles from China. The transport of products
such as cloth, matches and cigarettes into Vietnam is now prohibited, but
Chinese rice and salt can still be obtained. The current rate of exchange
is 1 Ho Chi Minh piaster to 12 j en mm p' iaoa
2. Since the occupation of the Cao Bang-Ban Nan Lang Son border area, the D RV
has instituted a "five-family survey" security system, whereby five families
are grouped together under an elected chief, who is responsible to the
Security Services for the conduct of the group.
3. Border tovrnsin the Viet Bac Intersector, such as Ha Ciang, Ca,o Bang, Nuoc
Hai and Lang Son, are adequately equipped with food and military supplies.
DRV troops in this area,, supplied by the Chinese Communists, enjoy the same
living conditions as the Chinese troops.
Troops in other areas of the Viet F3a,c, such as Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho and
Yen Bay, are very poorly equipped and are forced to obtain rice from Minh
Yen-Phuc Yen and Intersector III. Rice shipments for these provinces are
transported -via the Vinh Yen-?hue Yen road to the River Lot, by which they
are shipped to Tuyen Quang. In addition to this heavy river traffic, supplies
are carried by ARV guerrillas, travelling both during the day and at night,
to Tuyen Quango
5. Arms supplies from South China to Cao Bang are transported by Chinese Com-
munist troops travelling in convoys of 30 to 4) vehicles. The Chinese carry
their own food supplies for the journey. _ From Cao Bang, the convoys travel
via Nuoc Hai to Thai Nguyen. They travel only at night, scattering in the
woods during the day.
25X1
MRS DISTRIBUTION
Approved For Release 2006/02/06 : CIA-RDP82-
Comment. According to available maps of the area, only the
Cain arnd Clai r rivers flow through Thai Nguyen. Coordinates for the
River Lo are given as 10,5-07, 20-22.
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDE TL,.L/CONNTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
REPORT NO.
CD NO. 25X1
DATE DISTR. I Aug. 1951
NO. OF PAGES 1