MAIL CENSORSHIP IN COMMUNIST CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R013500120009-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2006
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: August 26, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO13500120009-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
SECRST/CCNTRoL U.S. O"JCIAIS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION RE-PORT REPORT NO.
CD NO.
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT Mail Censorship in Comffinnist China
DATE OF
XILNFO.
XIPLACE
ACQUIRED
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE:
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVEL
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THEREPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
DATE DISTR. 26 Aug., 1052
NO; OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1. The Censorship Bureau of the. Chinese Communist Government Post l..t$ainistratie
controls mail censorship in China. : A ch Ral irn icator s ilted: c am e mail;
when the indicator isapplied, te a 1-atter, it brings out evidence of any
chemical which may have been used on the letter paper.
A powerful electric projection machine is used to censor mail. which is considered
deserving, o f particular attention. Every provincial portal acltr~trstion which
has a customs office- attache tc-i =hash sul~h . s eh- xe;this ali ne .was
originally brought from the - SoviebTni=r-iTr 1950. - isijxqlvrted into,
the machine. which, is--about--the- -s ie of a p i ; :_tr- ba Wight _8.d. and' 1
the enlarged contents _of-the 1 , rmr, ,`he eoztentir:
of any letter, whether or -not-the paper-- which -tt ~ rw t~ttt _ is ervious
to, light or, , eat, -can fie -projected through -the -optical system on tcd the
mirror. Yoreign. diplomatic pouch contents and reduced photostatic copy
can also -be-reproduced.
Mail censorship on various levels is performed by the following Chinese
Communist Government agenciesr
a. The Postal Administration arnd Cu toms r- office provi ai>1 1, level
con telegrams and merit sent abroad and moil? p rseae Chinese.
If tht ceneor.Qe suspicion is aroused., any of this ma1 may be treated
with indicator--ar-placed- in the- ohii,. gubils td- farreign
government bodies is subject to special. c ensorship A, : Custimi>I ry
censorship is' limited to determining'w ether'bocks or other materials
pertaining to China should be allowed to leave the country.
CLASSIFICATION
SEth i ?Co aL r u.s o cza
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO13500120009-4
 Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R013500120009-4
'SECRET/CONTROL - U.S, OFFICIALS ONLY
be The Postal Administrative Bureau on the district' commissioner's office
-
level censors domestic mail but not foreign
c. The Post Office on the hsien level censors,--mail.-of snspiaitrms character
which originates. both l Liana -and-_abroad,. It the -Post "Office discovers
something unusual s they s end- it to a Postal Administrative Bureau or
Postal Administration for examination.
do Village postal agencies have no p, r? to .- ,n s power .9 tpi belongs to the peasants" -.association-arid- residents' - ups which may
censor the- mail of local .re9tdenta o Each-, #$.-t rese-,groups "mast
submit a report to-the- local-pub3_i~e seeursty -office on ematters of
interest concern ing.the-mils,. >n--many- .areas, tame- leaders of the
peasa nte'' associations Wand -the- reszdent groups are resp az;pibli
for
receiving- and delivering' the .il of . the people in their group; a
posta commissar- is chdsen.-for. each -.group aT thirty families to act as
postman. All local --government -aMe-I-als and -residents -must make
their mail available for public inspection from time to time to
demonstrate their frankness,
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R013500120009-4