Documents / FOIA release
This Central Intelligence Agency release is a Scientific Intelligence Study, TCS No. 4425/65. The Scientific Intelligence Committee prepared it with other intelligence community committees and approved it on 3 June 1965. It assesses Communist China's capabilities in science and technology through 1970, with particular attention to military and industrial programs. The study concludes that China will lag far behind advanced nations. The exceptions are a few priority areas such as nuclear weapons, missiles and air defense. It contains no discussion of UFOs.
“National Academy of Sciences”6 pages
Approved for Release: 2018/01/30 C00659420 TCS 4425/as —IQP_s1=.c2£L (b 144. Since Typhoons constitute a major threat to the economy of China, considerable research is conducted in attempting to describe and under- stand them. The monsoons also are studied ex- tensively. ' 145. The Chinese recently (1960 and 1961) pre- pared comprehensive climatological atlases which indicate clearly that much of the effort in this area has been directed toward basic, descriptive pro- grams providing agricultural and economic support. 146. Some native meteorological instruments are produced, although most of this kind of equipment is believed to be adopted from foreign equipment. 147. Little significant research in physical me- teorology has been conducted, though interest in weather modification has been indicated and a small effort in cloud physics has been started. By 1970, China will be only slightly nearer the level of advanced countries in meteorology. 148. d. GEODESY AND CRAVIMETRY——AI'10tl'161‘ ac- tive area in Chinese earth science is geodesy, though little original research toward describing the geophysical features of the country, so that surveys for cartographic and mineralogic applica- tions constitute a large part of the geophysical effort. Only well-known methods and equipments appear to be in use. 149. A gravimetric base-station network has been established, and the Chinese are capable of estab- lishing geodetic parameters for an IRBM test range. The establishment of an ICBM range in the Pacific will be diflicult with current Chinese capabilities in marine geodetic measurements. Routine gravimetry is used in mineral exploration, but instrumentation is in short supply. 150. e. GEOMAGNETISM AND cEoELEc:rR1c1TY— Basic research on magnetic storms and routine geo- magnetic observations have been conducted by the Chinese. Both fields have been applied routinely in the exploration of natural resources. There are no indications of geomagnetic investigations that may be associated with a nuclear detection system. 151. f. cEoLocY—The Chinese have conducted concentrated programs in all subfields of geology, mainly in support of natural resource exploration programs but predominantly on a reconnaissance basis. New deposits of petroleum, various min- 30 - _ - (b)(3 erals, sub-surface water, and other natural resources have been located. In addition, emphasis is placed on research supporting civil engineering and agri- culture. This trend is expected to continue, espe- cially in the exploration for minerals, petroleum, and subsurface water to support an increasing economic demand. In addition, research on rock classification, correlation, and age dating, as well as detailed mapping of economically potential areas, will continue, but no significant contribu- tions are expected by 1970. 152. g. sEIsMoLocY—The Chinese have been active for several years in earthquake recording and zoning, with considerable effort being directed toward antiearthquake construction. Seismology is used extensively in mineral and subsurface water exploration. (b1 8-mm Little basic research is indicated by pub- lished literature; and, as yet there is no evidence of programs directed towards marine seismic ex- ploration. A network of seismic stations in China is capable of underground nuclear detection on a limited scale. Most of this network was set up with aid from the Soviets. There are no indica- tions that this network will be improved exten- sively by 1970. < ' 153. h. OCEANOGRAPHY-—A major portion of oceanographic research in China continues to be directed toward the support of marine biology and the fishing and shipping industries. A stronger program may be indicated by the recent establish- ment of a State Council Bureau of Oceanography. Several extensive and systematic annual surveys have been carried out in the ocean areas adjacent to the China coast but with emphasis on routine data collection. China’s participation in the Com- munist countries’ Fisheries Research Commission for the West Pacific is an asset to the country. Such programs as tidal and ocean wave study, harbor erosion and silting problems, beach and coastline studies, near-shore bottom topography investigations, and extensive marine biological programs are expected to continue. Other for- merly neglected areas, such as marine physics, chemistry, geology, and research instrumentation are slowly being developed. \ Approved for Release: 2018/01/ 30 C00659420
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 95 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.