TRANSPORTATION IN NORTHWEST CHINA AS REPORTED BY A FORMER COMMUNIST CADRE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160310-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2011
• Sequence Number: 310
• Publication Date: February 25, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/08 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160310-8
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/08 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160310-8
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160310-8
TRAPISPORTATION IN NORTHWEST CFiINl,
AS REPORTED BY A FORbIER COMMUPIIST CADRE
tation in Northwest China under Communistvcontrol~: Biol;raphical
information on the author, contained in the same series of four
articles, is appended_~
The transportation lines in the Northwest Administrative Area are con-
trolled by the headquarters of the Porthwest Eighth Quartermaster District
and the Northwest People's Transportation Company, the latter a civilian
organization. The communication network of this area which includes Kansu,
Tsinghni, Plingsia and Sinkiang is under the jurisdiction of the two agencies.
As to military manpower in this wren, there are, at present, 300,000
regulars in Sin};iang and 400,000 reserves in the K'un-tun Shan area, the
latter reportedly to settle in Sinkiang but actually to preg2re for an
attack on Zndia. There are more than 500,000 slave laborers in the dif-
ferent Sinkiang and Kansu mines to fulfill Soviet petroleum needs.
In preparing against any counterattack by KAfP forces and for possible
necessity to evacuate East China, South Cni.,a, and the Ilortheast, the Chinese
Communists are moving their industries uestwnrd. Kansu, Sinkiang, Ningsia,
and Tsinghai are being developed. At the same time, a large number of mili-
tary supply industries are being established in this area. Naturally, Lan-
chou and Urumchi have become the centers of activity. To aid in moving sup-
plies and transporting equipment to meet the present emergency, Communist
troops in these areas have been increased ten-fold.
As to the railway lines, besides the Tien-Pao line (T'ien-shui--Pao-
chi) which is being expanded, there are the Pao-t'ou--Lan-chou ?nd T'ien-
shui--Ch'eng-tu lines both of which have been completed, and the Lan-Hsin
line which is still under construction.
Regarding highways, Lan-chou is rapidly becoming the hi;;hway center
with roads reaching to Yin-ch'uan, }Ia-mi, and with several main routes to
the west. In addition, there are highways extending .from Urumchi to Kuldja.
At present, much of the Iorthwest ?s lesert a=c^ ^nrl the Cgn~unists
must rely on draft animals and huma; strength for transportation.
The most important transportation equipment in the Northwest Eighth
Quartermaster District is the motor vehicle. It is generally known that
the Chinese Communists do not have sufficient supply of this type of equip-
ment. In the early days, the majority of the care were US products. At
that time, to travel one way from Lnn-chou to Urumchi tool: only 12 days.
At the onset of the Korean conflict, the flow of '~merican motor vehicles
stopped. But in 1951, after the signing of the Sinn ~oriet Friendship
Treaty, four hundred 2z-ton ZIS trucks were purchased .+ith 40,000 ounces
of gold taken from the Sinkiang provincial treasury. In the spring of 1952,
300,000 unemployed Chinese were sent into slavery in the Soviet Union in
return for 30,000 motor vehicles.
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The number of motor vehicles increased but they were of poor cuality.
Soviet vehicles were built with small radiators for use in low-temperature
regions. In China, these vehicles are in constant danger of overheating and
exploding and it is necessary to add water every 8 kilometers.
Vehicles must travel at a very slow pace. Formerly, it required 12 days
to travel from Urumchi to L^.n-thou. This is now impossible, and it actually
takes from one to two months to cover this distance by motor vehicle ti+hich
requires only 48 days by *_^oot.
In this area, the life expectancy of ar. automobile which needs constant
repairs is very short. According to an eyewitness report, over 3,000 vehicles
were wrecked while transferring 150,000 soldiers from the Kansu-Sinlciang-
Ningsia area to the railhead at Tien-shui for skripment to the ]:orean front
in 1951. Based on a very conservative estimate, up to the spring of 1953,
some 80,000 motor vehicles were wrecked, 500,000 wheels broken, and 150,000
tires destroyed. :1lthough the Soviets agreed in 1951 to sell 100,000 motor
vehicles and to deliver them to the Chinese Communists by the end of 1952,
it became necessary to purchase an additional 60,000 automobiles in the spring
of 1953 beceuse of heavy losses through breakdowns.
Gasoline, alcohol, and charcoal are used as fuel to operate motor vehicles
in the Northwest. Alcohol-and gasoline-driven vehicles are operated by the
Nighth Quartermaster District while vehicles using charcoal ns fuel are operated
by the civilisn transportation company. Since the supply of gasoline is not
sufficient to meet the demands, it is necessary to use the two types of fuel.
In the spring of 1953, of the total of ~k,000 automobiles in the IJorth-
west, a proximately 8,000 were operating on the Ifsi-lion ~robably An-hai--
Urumchi~f highway daily. According to the established standard, a vehicle
should be able to travel 10 kilometers on a gallon of gasoline and every
vehicle should be able to cover 150 kilometers per day, a goal which has not
been attained. On this h~sis, some 120,000 gallons of gasoline would be con-
sumed daily on this line alone.
As for the supply of gasoline, the Chinese Communists must rely on the
Wu-su and the Yu-men oil fields. The Yu-men oil fiel:l has increased its mnn-
poxer from 3,000 workers to the present force of 7,000. It has increased the
daily output of gasoline from 10,000 gallons to 20,n.^,0 gallons, and fuel oil
from 9,000 gallons to 1F.,,Opp Gallons. A vehicle with one ~?.11on of Yu-men
gasoline, which is inferior to the US product, can travel only 8 kilometers.
With the same amount of U; gasoline, the same vehicle can cover a distance of
10 kilometers. The Nu-ru oil field has increased ii;:: nanpodor from 1,000
wor];ers to the present 5,000, and output of gasoline to 5,000 gallons per day.
Since the outputs of the two oii fields are united and the demand great,
the Chinese Communists here limited the use of their products to the entire
Northwest Afilitary District, half to the Southwest I?tilitu?y District and
half to the Sikang-Tibet border a:?ea.
Almost all of the vehicles in the Northeast, Eaet Chin^, north China,
Central-South China military districts have been converted to use charco^.1 or
alcohol as fuel. Coastal provinces and border areas ere attempting to obtain
their supply of gasoline from neighboring nations.
The blockade of the Chine coast has created hcrdshias for the Chinese
Communists. They have created, therefore, openings where needed material can
flow into the mainland and where opium grown in southern Sinkiang can flow
eut in payment for goods receive3. The India-Tibet and China-B;u?ma borders
are the main gateways for such illegal trade.
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/08 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000700160310-8
The inadegvate supply o:' rubber tires is oleo ccursin~ serious probler;s
for the Chinese Communists. There se lnr~,c-:sale tire-mr.nufacturinb plants
in Itarbin, Lan-chw, and Urumchi. Gercan technicicns captured by the Soviets
are directing the oneratioas in there nlent.r. Iio::eve_?, the supply of rau
material is inadequate. Reprocessed :?ubbcr :ad rm: z?ubber iY'cm new rubber
plantations in Hainan are not ru:';'.cicnt. ficccntly
ckrased fron the South Sea are?s to i?.cet the needs ter5o~o~ltons were nur-
p -^ y.
rCrp..~~ ':tl~
?. c ..n repent:- Ck-
L t g o l:er nun _'ir. Chum-Cit'atg :;as a Chinese
Co:~;:,;:nict cac,rc .'or _0 ;car:' er.rl for the ^' ;; c.rs befo:'e i:er recent escape
''rc;^ C}:ina : he bar been wc-rl::i.:~r _~ fire T.iortinaert :'ii ~ta:?y District. Site r ~.de
tl:c :o'.l.o:;irg steter.?ents rr?-:.?,=_~- l:cr e.pericnces~
Of the u0^,000 :rho : t~u?ted out with her nn the fzrous Lon? i?',>rch, only
80,:OG reached the de