CHINESE COMMUNIST FORCES OCCUPY FOUR SMALL OFFSHORE ISLANDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01172R000200310004-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2004
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 3, 1953
• Content Type: SUMMARY

Approved For Rq{fase 20 14/07/ "91 TO 2F200310004-3 C~
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OCI NO. 3989 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
COPY NO. OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
3 June 1953
CHINESE COMMUNIST FORCES OCCUPY FOUR SMALL OFFSHORE ISLANDS
Four, and possibly five,' small islands located about 40 25X1
miles southwest of the Nationalist-held Tachen Islands were
attacked and occupied by Chinese Communist forces from Wenchou
in Chekiang Province between 29 and 30 May,
Only one of these islands was garrisoned by
the Nationalists. The attacks followed a spate of reports
received during the week indicating current enemy efforts to
rehabilitate the airfield at Ningpo, increase naval and air
strength in the area, and to prepare in other ways for a
possible invasion of the Tachen Islands.
These operations may be related to a current Tachen Island
invasion plan, but it is more probable that the smaller islands
are being occupied in order to deny their use to Nationalist
troops for mainland operations and intelligence collection. In
August, a similar occupation of four islands near Nationalist-
held Matsu was undertaken without a subsequent attack on Matsu.
Chinese Communist forces have the capability of capturing
the Tachens, Matsu, or Chinmen Island with little warning,
although a Chinmen operation would involve large numbers of
troops. An attack on any of the major offshore islands does
not necessarily indicate an imminent attack against Formosa.
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Approved For Release 2004/07/0958 ,91 T01 172R000200310004-3