CONDITIONS IN HARBIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005100370012-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 13, 2003
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: June 27, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASS.FiCATION -i COPERDENTIAL
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INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
Conditions in Harbin
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DATE DISTR 24,7, ani 50
NO. OF PAGES 4
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
pel,t..%:,en of Harbin is ostimatod at roughly about a million.
inc,,,; the war the number of Chinese inhabitants has steadily increased and
the nurpber of foreigners has steadily declined. The forei4)71 population of
-,pro.ri.mately 25,000 has a majority. of Soviet citizens, including about two
thousand persons who arrived from. the UiSR in 1949, mostly for employment
^ Soviet trade aFeocies or 6he Chinese Chanr,Thun Railroad, Of jn6ividuajs
wn(% aoce-Ited Soviet citizenship after the war there has been little zepatria-
on to USSR, and el,en in some cz4so,5 young persons who requect-d repatr1-
4tIon have been refused, Soviet army officers who married Harbin Soviet
,'%Uens ,:fere not, as a rule, cermitted to take;..heir wives back to the
,.3SSR with them, A few instances are knovm of pez.cons enteripg the USSR with-
cu p?mission; they are rumored to have been alloved to remain as or4inary
_tizenc after several months detention-
. LI another 1:irge ethnic group, the Poles, many took advantage of an offer of
patriaGion for all persons cJaiminc, P014.sh citizenship and desiring to
-oturn to the neJ1 Polanf: which was annoynced by a Polish nRuler represen-
? tive who visited Harbin in September 1949 The Jewish group which is also
:irg?h is attempAng to secure visas fur isz-ael, through a representative
of the Israeli government in Tientsin.
A few Japanese still remain in Harbin as private citizens many married to
2csnians or Chinise, and other retained by- the Soviets or by the Chinese
!?r,vernment as coacialists. There acc several Japanete doctors employed in
larbin hospitals or enlaged in private practice. Movements of Japanese
^ iden are contolied by a government-sponsored trap:Incise Essideni.,s'
Association. Many of the Japanese wish to be reatriateci but have .lo'L been
vflowed to leave, In addition to these private citizens, there are believed
to be large numbers of Japanese serving with the Chinese Communist forceS.
4, Atter the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1946, foreign residents were
concerned lest the Chinese tura against them in retaliation for the
behavior of Soviet troops, Although the prompt entry of the Communists
prevented any demonstration, some tension still exists between the Chinese and
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European communities. The possibility of future open clashes is being less-
ened by Soviet and Chinese propaganda praising the USSR and reminding the
Chinese they should thank the Soviets for liberation.
5. Considerable friction exists between Soviet citizens from the USSR and
local Soviets, primarily because of economic and social discrimination.
-1oviets from the USSR receive many special privileges from the Chinese govern-
ment and are quartered on the edge of Harbin in special newly-constructed,
barracks-like sommunal housing units; high ranking officials stay at the
Hotel international. Moreover, USSR Soviets are paid an average of NEPO
twenty million per month, while local Sovieteaverage salaries are about
two million. Soviets from the USSR seldom venture into the city and almost
never participate in activities of the Soviet colony or the Soviet Citizens?
Association, and since technicians and lower-ranking employees are normally
rotated every six months or every year, there is little possibility for
development of permanent attachments. The status and behavior of their
compatriots from the USSR has aroused so much resentment among local Soviets,
particularly the younger men, that occasional attacks on USSR personnel
have resulted, and complaints are wide-spread.
6. Almost all Harbin industrial enterprises have been expropriated by the
Communist government. The only two enterprises in the city which employ
over a thousand persons are the Churin Stores and the Chinese Changchun
Railway *. A very few small factories and workshops continue to be privately
operated, including several textile plants in Fuchiatien (126-39, 45-45)
which produce locally consumed towels, thread, socks, etc. No new factories
have been constructed since the war, and although rumors have been current
that industries from Shanghai were to be moved up, none had actually arrived
by January 19500**
7. In the retail field, also, private trade is gradually being choked off
because of taxation and shortage of merchandise. Pre-war stocks are
oractically exhausted, and store-owners have no capital to purchase new
items.*** The only new stores being opened are cooperatives licensIsd by
the government or commissionnaires. Cooperatives may have as many as 150
shareholders and are required by law to elect responsible officers, maintain
government-audited accounts, observe price control regulations, and comply
strictly with tax laws. In the Chinese cooperatives and those of the
Chinese Changchun Railroad and the Churin Stores many Soviet-manufactured
goods are offered for sale, but the prices are prohibitive for the average
citizen. Commissionnaires are usually unemployed local Soviets, other
foreigners, or Chinese who operate under government supervision and buy up
or sell for a fixed commission every sort of ware.
8. Unemployed, both Chinese and local Soviet, are many, and there is no govern-
ment provision for them. In order to ease the situation, the Communist
authorities have been -trying to persuade the unemployed to work in adjacent
agricultural areas, where there is a labor shortage, but city-bred persons
are reluctant to become farm laborers.
9, A few private banks still operating are Chinese. The principal bank, the
government rung Pei (" Jr_j) Bank, acts as a bank of issue and handles
all government financial transactions but will also accept private accounts.
It issues and honors checks only in local currency. Foreign currencies may
not be sold in checks but may be purchased at a specified government ex-
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change eete throus,h A special division nr the bank; a black markeL0 how-
ever, still exists in this and in gold and jewels. The local legal
currency is the Northeast People's Currency (WC), in denominations of
100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 1000000, 500,000, and 1,0000000.
it is valid only in the Northeast and must be exchanged upon entry into
China proper at the frontier control station of Shanthaitinan (119-44,
40e00)0 at the current government rate.
10. Housing is a problem, Since the population is constantly increasing and
there has been no new construction. Although rents, which are government
controlled, are very low, it is customary to require a large sum as "key
money"; the practice is illegal but continues in spite of all attempts to
suppress it. Transient accommodations are likewise difficult: and many
travelers plan to stay with friends, Chinese normally patronize the Modern
and Orient Hotels; the International is reserved ler visiting Soviet
dignitaries from China or the USSR. Transient quarters are also available
in private homes, but prices are very high; Soviet citizens from the USSR
usually have quarters provided (ace above) and rarely seek private lodgings,
11? Very few good restaurants are operating in Harbin, iveriya Restaurant on
Samanna Street is frequented by Soviet officials from the USSR, the Mars
by Chinese and working-class Europeans. This place also operates a dance
hall with Chinese, local Soviet, and Japanese girls; restaurants of similar.
type include the Kazbek on Kitaiskaya Street, the Pi-Di on Kitaiskaya, and
Edem and Samson on Dolehoi Prospekt, Novy Gorod, Average workers and office
employees do not customarily eat in restaurants, since the government and
all large organizations such as the railway and stores provide canteens
for workers, serving meals at reasonable rates. These canteens are also
open to all citizens of Harbin, not only company employees.
12. The only radio station in the city is the Chineseelanguase one; the
majority of the Soviet residents listen to Radio Khabarovsk. Although
no overt control is exercised over selection of programs, a certain restric-
tion appears in that the Voice of American transmissions are usually jammed
by the Soviets. Most of the numerous receiving sets in the city are of
Japanese manufacture and inferior quality, Soviet sets are beginning to
appear, but their prices are above the reach of the average purse,
13. Among foreign residents, the single largest religious congregation is the
Russian Orthodox; after that come, in order of size, the Roman Catholic,
the Hebrew, and the Protestant, Neither the Soviet occupation nor the
subsequent Communist government limited religious observances, although thr
Communists do not encourage them or observe religious holidays, and
emplcyees taking time off from work for such reasons may be dismissed,
4ore than half the foreign residents, particularly the predominantly Russian
Orthodox local Soviet citizens, attend services regularly.
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" I 'Comment. Plans for moving industry. from Shanghai and other
southern-indUstrial centers to the interior and the Northeast have
been discussed and urged by the Communist authorities since the
fall of 1949, but action has been very slow in all areas.
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*** 1-Dp.omment. This agrees with statements concerning 25X1
the shat-TrUanchurian industrial aad commercial controls from private
to state hando.
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