CHINESE ROAD CONSTRUCTION NORTHERN LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 10, 2010
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 1, 1971
• Content Type: MISC

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
CHINESE ROAD CONSTRUCTION NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
NORTHERN LAOS
m
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
ATTACHMENT TO: N8144/71
PAGE 1 OF 2
COPY
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
2. BACKGROUND: THE CHINESE BEGAN CONSTRUCTING THIS ROAD SYSTEM IN
LAOS IN CROSSING THE BORDER NEAR 25X1
BAN BOTENE, THE ROAD PROCEEDED SOUTHEAST TOWARD
MUONG SAI. BY SPRING 1969, THE ROAD WAS SERVICEABLE
THROUGH MUONG SAI TO MUONG LA. THE ROAD SYSTEM
INCLUDES FIVE ROUTES: ROUTES 4, 19, 45, 46, AND 412.
3. REMARKS:
CHINESE ROAD CONSTRUCTION
NORTHERN LAOS
ROAD CONSTRUCTION BY THE CHINESE IS CONTINUING IN
THE CHINESE CONSTRUCTION FORCE IN NORTHERN LAOS IS
ESTIMATED TO INCLUDE BETWEEN 4,500 AND 6,000 PERSONNEL.
AN ADDITIONAL 2,200 CHINESE PERSONNEL ARE BELIEVED
ASSIGNED TO ANTIAIRCRAFT DEFENSE. ENGINEERING
ACTIVITY, IN ADDITION TO CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD AND
ITS ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION CAMPS, INCLUDES ASSISTING
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO HOSPITALS AND AN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing boards (s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Imagery Exploitation
Group NPIC.
GROUP I: EXCLUDED FROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
AND DECLASSIFICATION
SECRET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6
SECRET
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
ATTACHMENT TO: N8144/71
PAGE 2 OF 2
4. MISSION READOUT: SINCE SPRING 1969, ROUTE 46 HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED SOUTH-
SOUTHWEST FROM MUONG SAI TO MUONG HOUN. NORTH-NORTHEAST FROM MUONG LA, THE
ROAD DESIGNATED ROUTE 45, FOLLOWS THE NORTH BANK OF THE NAM PHAK (RIVER) PAST
THE SITE OF SOP KAI, WHERE IT BECOMES ROUTE 19, TO THE PRESENT CONSTRUCTION
TERMINUS NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE NAM PHAK AND NAM OU. THE CONFLUENCE ITSELF
MARKS THE WESTERN LIMIT OF MOTORABLE ROUTE 19 WHICH EXTENDS SOUTHWEST FROM DIEN
BIEN PHU IN NORTH VIETNAM. THE TWO PORTIONS OF ROUTE 19 WERE NOT YET CONNECTED.
NUMEROUS CONSTRUCTION CAMPS AND ANTIAIRCRAFT EMPLACEMENTS WERE LOCATED
ALONG THE ROADS. A SEGMENT OF ROUTE 45 WITH ITS MANY CONSTRUCTION CAMPS IS
SHOWN IN INSET. IN THE PAST, MANY OF THE CAMPS HAVE BEEN DISMANTLED WHEN
CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETE.
MAP REFERENCE: PC 1:500,000 PC J-10B, PC J-10C, TPC J-11A, TPC J-11C
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing boards (s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Imagery Exploitation
Group NPIC.
SECRET
25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/10: CIA-RDP83-01074R000300010010-6