PORT INFORMATION, CHINWANGTAO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003800700005-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 4, 2006
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: March 29, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP80-0081OA003800700005-8
CENT.I~A.L, IN's . x ~~
,..ICE AGENCY
Tbfs Doownent oonteine intam?tfon adeeifnd the Ns
tlonu Defense of the United !tstes, wfthln themew-
fns of T1tle 18, Seot*one 783 and 7DM. of the U.S. Code. as
atmended. Its transmiadon or reVelatton of its eontenje
to or receipt by an unauthorised person to pn*mted
by law. The rsproduotfon of this term ft prahfbffed.
~ a~COi (7T, - U. S. OI ZC 01 ,Y
srC?+t4".,. ?.-r FOR ,. ,mow
:port, 'Formation, Ch nwaz gtao
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
25X1
25X1
25X1
d
an at an altitude of about O0 meters
'foahweet, The fighter was silver-coated, had a red star as distin*
gtilish ag mark, and d .,appeared about 20
s
d
20 larch lg% ;
3
RD 613931
Ship- passed between Taiwlsn ... and the .
w e
haie ar stopped
t d by war vessels. On 26 June 1953
three astroyerf were about 1 sea. miles off the ship and about 10 sea miles
xrher ofiwszz TYte first mate believed that they were
uj .t destroyers:. A owe t back jet fighter was f
1Y,6 at e speed of
p ].tom kilometers per hour p{~'h}
econ
s after coming into Sight. .About
hcvras l
ater, when she. was 1baut 20
a
se
miles east off the r
Wa*
as her captain did not wish to t f aster course
me
Yel
dw stars arranged in a semi-circle
,ro d a
' larger yellow star,, were seen in the Yellow Sea.
I 1.
g
twin- fined, --green: 461r1kLanes, including one
pleas which carried se renal
l
e ishing fleets ship received
A' ~.o Pe-POW fates. Tientsin requesting a change of course
sad o ee txiueagiced
dl d? Pie-engia ,eti Chinese airplanes painted olive.-green were sighted
fiy' along the coast. at a speed of about I+00 km/h off Ts
Fluted het planes f ~- Some ailver-
,1- g at Altitudes of between 1F,, 0O0 and 5, O00 meters and
saw e; g7.e-engined and twin:.^n
i,,ed oli
? es with submachine guns were posted at the
sh# inmiediately after she. was tied. The Chinese broker who spoke Eng],if~h eansl. German stated that be ' s a .political leader in Chinvapgta o and
performed the clearing business to et acgvainted with this kind of duty. Som
in Costs ime c# re uniforms. WO customs officers, also
ately boarded the ship at the pier, and sealed the radio,
' technical bodies, binoculars, sextants and cameras. The provesions,
tobacco and spirits were not sealed. All holds And spaces were checked and
p hl.ets or, books. i. Chinese or Cyrillic letters were declared. AU other
books remained untouched. The crew was guarded on deck by two soldiers while
the ship was searched T,-, sentri
the pilot boarded ship about half a mile from the
o r+angtao. He come by tugboat and was accompanied by the shills
17~ broker, the port medical officer and six soldiers armed with submachine guns
,broker `=the med. - Officer and the pilot wore blue. Chinese coats without
badges. The. soldiers wore khaki-ealo
` ENT ? ~CQ t0 U. 0,. ` 01 IC ONLY
woo: worhindtee OfdklbvNea fadkefed l,, ,x,., ~ -- ;;
Approved or Pole ~'0 %d5/24 : C1A-RDP80-00810T AW
 4.
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP80-0081OA003800700005-8
CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - UQ S. C{FFICIALS ONLY
2 -
of the soldiers who spoke English stated that they were military soldiers and
had nothing to do with the police, which was unarmed and was responsible only
for the town district. Some of the soldiers and coolies were elderly men and
wore decorations, The broker explained that veterans who fought against Japan
and CHIA,NG Kai-shek were attached to all labor units to improve their morale.
A concrete pier, about 300 meters long, in good repair and with three railroad
tracks, was on the starboard side on entering the harbor. Two of the tracks were
along the quay wall. Low wooden. sheds were between the second and the third
track. Accomodation cars; dining cars for workmen; railroad repair cars; a
kitchen car; and two saloon cars with dispensary, dressing stations and bath
for the port medical officer on duty, were on the third track. Injured or
sick workmen received medical attendance at these cars. The port medical officer
visited the ships in the harbor twice daily and also attended the crew members.
He and his two assistants spoke fluent English.
The cargo consisted of coal for Madras and came from 20-ton cars which were
tilted into five hatches at a time, Coal was no longer carried in baskets as
previously and was shoveled from the sides of the cars into tight-meshed bast
nets and then heaved aboard by winches. Bast mats were also spread between
the ship's sides and the quay. wall to prevent losses of coal. The loading took
three days and four nights. The coal was good.
An old Soviet steamer of about 1,000 tons was moored in the innermost section
of the harbor with her bow anchor cut and with stern wires tied to the quay.
She loaded bales and cases and left the harbor on the morning of 6 July 1953.
Several fishing craft and a small old trawler were tied up to the mole although
no sli r repair shop was available near the harbor. The repair to a pump on
I1o ship was carried out quickly and efficiently by three young workmen,
accompanied by a political leader. The refrigerating machine which needed
repair was inspected by several groups of engine fitters accompanied by a
political worker but could not be repaired..
6.
8.
The town, which was inland from the harbor, was off limits to the ship's crew.
The International Club at which crew members spent most of their time was
in a new sandstone building on a short road closely guarded by sentries.
Cakes, two bottles of good beer and some excellent cigarettes were free of
charge at the club, There were also dancing parties with girls in blue dresses who
drank tea, understood English and were rather shy. Political workers sat at
each table. Curfew was at about 11 p.m. Films were shown on special demand.
The Chinese first thought the nhgroes, who composed about fifty percent of the
crew, were particularly susceptible to political indoctrination, but soon saw
that the negroes did not go ashore for the second time as they disliked to be
regimented by the Chinese.
Four new large unstoried sheds with sloping glazed roofs on the north bank west
of the mole were brightly illuminated at night. Long queues of men and women
in blue suits crowded into these sheds from the t +wn and there were no noises
indicating hammering or: riveting but only low humming. Reeled-off cable drums.
of various sizes were stored in the area between the river bank and the sheds.
A three-storied new building, about 70 meters long and partly illuminated at
night, was in front of the four sheds. Two wood-planked octagonal scaffolds,
about 50 meters high and between 20 and 25 meters in diameter which tapered
upwards, were landward from the International Club. they 25X1
were haulage towers or installations for charging smelting furnaces but saw no
smoke or steam. The political worked stated that the nearest coal pits were
over ten kilometers from the coast and that their haulage towers were out of
sight.
An old abandoned fortification which flew no flag was located on the partially
wooded hills east of the harbor. The area was closely patrolled by soldiers
armed with slung rifles. Between 20 and 30 soldiers armed with rifles were
CONFIDENTIAL/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP80-0081OA003800700005-8
 Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP80-0081OA003800700005-8
CONFZDENTm/C0NTR0L - U.B. OFFICIALS ONLY ,
-3-
D
posted near the three railroad tracks and about ten sentries armed with sub-
machine guns wereistationed on the way from the ship to the club. A group of
soldiers with a mobile searchlight was on the mole. Trucks with generator
sets were between the second and third railroad. track. Two were employed to 25X1
illuminate the ship's hold.
The broker, accompanied by two other Chinese who spoke good English,
every afternoon. He sometimes wore a small round badge on the lapel o
his jacket and arrived in a large black sedan driven by a chauffeur. 'He bad
studied history and sociology in England and the USA and was thoroughly informed
on the situation in Europe. Starting from the fundamental difference between
old and new China, he explained that, at least for some years to come, China
needed foreign help and preferred the Russians to the Aritish, who had taken
more than they had. given and were largely responsible for the backwardness of
the country. The broker, who was the best paid official in Chinwangtao, received
a monthly salary of '75,000 Chinese dollars, equivalent to 5 pounds sterling and .
10 shillings. He had to spend 15,000 to 17,000 Chinese dollars on food,
between 15,000 and 20,000 Chinese dollars on clothing and about 18,000 dollars
on party contributions and donations, and could spend the balance on other
expenses, particularly books. An ordinary workman made up to 10,000 Chinese
dollars monthly. A longshoreman received from the government three meals
daily and blue work rig and shoes in addition to his wages. As. every woman
fit for work and with less than four children was bound to work, the Chinese
were fairly well off considering that thirty Chinese dollars daily could feed
a family of five or six. Medical and. . dental. attendance. as well as hospitali-
zation were free.' In reply to a question why the'Nationaliete had lost'.the J
war, the broker said that the soldiers under CHIANG Kai-shek were not inferior,
but their officer corps was corrupt. He said that these Chinese were bent on
gambling,. debauchery and nepotism and that this accounted for the weaknesses
.of CRIANG Kai-shek's military system. The communist soldier on the other hand,
who was developed from a peaceful peasant to a fighting and disciplined warrior,
realized that discipline alone would assure the existence and unity of Communist
Chiral and that no deviation from the line would be tolerated. This was
symbolized, for exe ple, by uniform clothing and a military attitude assumed
by all. China would not repeat Russian mistakes and would develop industry as
well as.farming which, however, was difficult for lack of machinery and,
because of the tendency of every Chinese. to stick to landed property. The
broker stated further that the food situation in the coast4 districts was
good. He. said that CHIANG.'K:ai-shek could not possibly return to the mainland,
.because the ::Taiwan Chinese were generally despised even by non-Communists. Be
commented that American fears of Communist China were exaggerated as even if
materials and weapons were supplied., only a portion of the enormous Chinese
army, which mainly consisted of infantry, could be.equipped and even if armed
to the teeth China would never be capable of successful aggression. The
western world, including the USA, should recognize China economically as a
market and supply area for indispensable commodities.
10. When one of the winches broke dawn because of inexpert handling, the harbor 25X1
master, who was about thirty years of age and. also wore a blue coat, came
aboard for an investigation. He dismissed the winobman and had the damage
repaired at the expense of the Chinese Government.
the harbor master, who was always accompanied by a political worker, held. -e'i ese
ship engineer's license, and had been chief engineer on coastal vessels 'for many
years. He expressed pleasure I I said that he disliked the 25X1
British and added that informed nest new of the difference between= 25X1
He express. regret that the'US did not possess
so industrial potential would considerably strengthen the
Communist bloc and make it possible for China to overcome her shortage of
machinery, especially machine tools. Be stated that China also needed large
qulantities of sedans, trucks and. tractors. Be said that Chinese farming yielded
good crops, especially of soy beans which grew north of the Peking River, and
added that the interior of China was not yet rehabilitated.
CONFIIfUTIAL/001MOL U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2006/05/24: CIA-RDP80-00810A003800700005-8