CHINESE COMMUNIST FORCES IN NORTH VIETNAM

Created: 9/29/1966

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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memorandum

CHINESE COMMUNIST FORCES IN NORTH VIETNAM

APPROVED FOP PELEASE

directorate of intelligence

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Directorate of Intelligenceeptember IS

INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM

Chinese Communist Forces in North Vietnam

Summary

There has been do significant change in the

Chinese Communist military forces in North Vietnam

the past three months. '

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raxeven majorimis in VTeTnara, all of them probably of division size One ie known to be ao air force antiaircraft (AAA) division. Anotherailway engineer division. Tbe other five are thought to be an any AAA division and four special engineer divisions (see map on reverse of page).

These construction units are being supported by service units believed to be of regimental size, drawn from the adjacent regions of soutbern China. In all, there is an estimated total00 Chinese support troops tn North Vietnam.

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/The rail line between the border

and Kep may nave been converted for use by both standard and mcter-gaugc rolling stock byhird rail. The new standard-gauge line to the Thai Nguyon iron and steel complex from Kep is nearlng completion.

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NOTE: This memorandum was produced by CIA. Aside from the normal substantive exchange with other agencies at the working level this paper has not been coordinated outside CIA. It was prepared by the Office of Current Intelligence and coordinated with tbe Offlco of Research and Reports.i5

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Construction Is continuing at two majorIn northern North Vietnam. Photographic analysis of the activities at one of them, tho field at Yon Bai, clearly identifies It as aproject. Moreover, both COMINT and collateral reportshinese presence at Yon Bai slDce The runway under construction there now measures more0 feet.

The othor airfield possibly under construction by the Chinese in located at Son Tay (previously referred to as Songboutiles west of Hanoi. Preparations for tho runway base now ox-tendeet. There is no firm evidence of Chinose Involvement, but the scope of the project, the rapid rate of construction, and the largo amount of construction equipment indicate an oflort that might strain tho capability of tho Vietnamese.

A rccontly captured North Vletnamene Navyreports that Chinese engineers aro constructing coastal defense sites on Cat Ba Island near Haiphong. Bis statements have been supported by analysis of photographs of the northeast coastal aroa. Cblnouc units may also be participating in road construction aod Improvement in the Northouth China border area.

All the evidence continues to pointogistic support role for the Chinese forces in North Vietnam. As the construction projects are completod the Chinese engineering-type units may return to China. There is some evidenceew of tho smaller units already have gono.

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Developments

1. The organization and composition of Chinese Forces in North Vietnam (CFNVN) has remainedunchanged during the past three months. Some minor realignments, the appuaranco of new entities,

nave oeen observed, Put tlit'bu CBXttm unvu iiuiaffected either the strength or the the Chinese units.

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There have been several now development! however.

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unrters may-nave been in ttXiBZCYSG*-ashen Chineso support units first began into northerr Nor!- Vietnam, f

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Return of Some

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iy navepvi: "lln the Lao Cal area ol northwest

Vietnam, appears to haveonstruction function and may have boon engaged ln road improve-

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ossible counterpart of this unit in northcv. l North Vietnam may also have withdrawn.

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16. He continue to believe that there are at least woven divisional-lovel Chinese units In North Vietnam. However, our past strength estimate00 troops has been revised downwardange00 troops on the basis of

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obtained organizational data for Chinese ground force units.

Chinese Construction Activity in North Vietnam (See Map)

The construction activity at Yen Bai was firmly identified as airfield construction by low-level photography this Juno. The photography shows that grading and leveling have enlarged theto an area0eet. Photography also revealed that since last falltorage/ support buildings have been built in the vicinity.f these have gone up since December. This number is more than would be required for support of airfield construction alone and may pointajor support base.

There is new evidence that the airfield project at Yen Bai is being built by the Chinese.

Two North Vietnamese soldiers, captured in Southat different times and different placeseported the arrival of Chinese AAA troops at Yen Bai in V

19. Chinese AAA troops were apparently deployed to Yen Bai for the specific purpose of protecting the airfield project, which was started in Recent photography has revealedAf which were occupied) andutomatic weapons sites surrounding the airfield construction andbase. This is approximately the number of sites required to eroplace the gunshinese army AAA division,

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There are no comparable collateralsupport indicationshinese presence at where another major airfield is under Moreover, it has been determined thatengineer unitpreviously thought

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defense mission. However, this more recent indicates that it pecial engineer division working on coastal defense construction projects.

work of tho 2nd Railway Engineerat Kep is continuing. hird rail may haveto the Hanol-Pinghslang line between DongKep. Photography ofuly showed standard-

stock near KeP- of tho lino with tho third rail have been observed between Kep and Plnghslang since early April.

Work is also continuing on tho standard-gauge line between Kep and the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steelajor Chinese aid project. Most oi the major bridges and tunnels have been completed on IV " "U1 increase the load capacity and iJltyNorth vlo*nam'8 major rail link with South China and speed up shipments to tho Vietnamese.he third rail is evontually extended to Hanoi, Vietnam-bound freight could be shipped directly to Hanoi without transloadlng.

Chincso construction units may also have assisted in road construction and improvement near the Slno/DRV border. ecent photographic study of the status of roads In this areaotal ofiles of road construction and Improvement on the North Vietnam side of the border. Most of this work, begun sinceas involved improvements in existing roads and the establishment of connecting links. Two new roads aro underparallel to tho Red River between Yon Bai and Lao Cai. They will provide better Chinese access

aroa- 10 the North Vlotoam-bouth China road network has been Joined at several more points along the border. (See Map)

Prospects

tho Chinese construction projectsViotnam are completed, some changes arethe rolo and composition of the Chinese The number of support buildingsYen Bai may Indicate that this area is planned

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orward Chinese logistical base

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29. The recent evidence of increased Chinese naval association with North Vietnam I

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a trena xowara closer operational cooperation* This could take the form of Joint coastal and offshore defense procedures in the northern Tonkin Gulf, similar to those instituted ln the field of air defense. It may also signal an expansion of naval support to North Vietnam, in the form of more patrol boats or use of Chinese naval combat units in northern DRV waters.

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As for the future of the Chinese nllitary presence in North Vietnam, the first indication of change may come if and when the Chinese engineer unit start withdrawing following the completion of their tasks. If the experience of the past year is aguide, any Major shift in the Chinese role in North Vietnam should then be reflected/

uerore tne Chinese make any major move in tills direction, however, they will probably build up their ground force strength on their side of the border. As yet, there is nothat any such augmentation has occurred.

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Original document.

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