MORI 1344337 -- av - u- 1 COPY 3 SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE DIGEST APPROVED FOR RELEASE DATE JUL 2006 31 May 1960 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE '3 MORI DOCID 1344337 TAB LE OF CONTENTS Item 1252 1 Chinese Communist AE ProgramSID 60-11 31 May 60 m4 MORI 1344337 5 2m - FAR EAST THE CHINESE COMMUNIST AE PROGRAM Summary and Conclusions The Chinese Communists are engaged in an atomic energy program of moderate size concerned chiefly with uranium mining research and possibly a weapons program Evidence for the latter however is lacking Uranium ore is mined in various parts of China Sinkiang province is believed to be the greatest producer Research is carried out in a number of laboratories throughout the country and the Soviets have furnished the Chinese with a 7 5 - 10 megawatt research reactor Discussion The Chinese Communists have made steady progress since 1950 in laying the foundation for a nuclear energy program However what progress they have attained has been due in a large measure to the guidance and assistance ch the USSR There was early evidence of joint Soviet- Chinese eXploitation of Chinese uranium resources Since 1954 there has been a heavy reliance upon the Soviet UniOn for support in developing a cadre of nuclear scientists and technicians as well as providing the laboratory and training facilities needed to expand the effort An expansion of the program was noted during the period 1955 to 1957 A Sino-Soviet Nuclear Energy Agreement was signed in 1955 The Chinese Academy of Sciences was organized in 1955 resulting in increased emphasis being given to the study of nuclear physics Active Chinese participation in the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research at Dubna USSR commenced in 1956 A considerable step-up in the program also occurred in mid-1958 when a Soviet-supplied research reactor and cyclotron began Operation In addition the Soviets have continued to supply the Chinese with materials assistance training equip- ment other than that noted above and scientific personnel Organization and Control of the Program The present nuclear energy research and develoPment program is controlled and directed by three main bodies SID 60- ll 31Ma 60 -12- we MORI DOCID 1344337 l The Scientific Planning Committee which following its merger with the State Technological Commission in 1958 became known as the Scientific and Technological Commission It is the most powerful element in the organization of scientific research in Communist China and supervises closely the c00peration and coordination of research between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Military Science Academy The Commission has concentrated its efforts in building up existing organizations increasing research and training young scientists in atomic energy 2 The Chinese Academy of Science is a government organization and is equivalent to provincial governments It is vested with administrative power and has the authority to compile its own budget The Academy is the chief organ for research in Communist China It was reported that as of March 1959 the Academy operated 41 nuclear energy laboratories but this information has not been confirmed Certainly the most important research is carried out in the Institute of Atomic Energy 3 The Military Science Academy is responsible for the planning and supervision of research in the military sciences Its major work has been described as including research manufacture and utilization of modern weapons such as atomic bombs hydrogen bombs guided missiles rockets and chemical and biological weapons Research Because of the impetus provided by the Twelve-Year Plan for Science 1956-1967 and as a result of the Sino Soviet Nuclear Energy Agreement of 1955 the Chinese Communists purchased a heavy water moderated tank- type reactor with a thermal capacity of 7 5 - lO megawatts and a 25 million electron volt cyclotron from the USSR Both the reactor and the cyclotron were constructed with Soviet assistance and were in operation by mid 19 58 under the auspices of the Institute of Atomic Energy I Various other institutes and educational facilities have reported building small research reactors and cyclotrons largely for the purpose of training young scientists and for a limited amount of researchMORI DOCID 1344337 Uranium Mining_and Proc sing There is firm evidence of joint Soviet- Chinese exploration of Chinese uranium resources since 1950 It is believed that the Chinese are now working two deposits in Manchuria Several uranium deposits are also known in Kwangsi province but the greatest uranium potential is believed to be in Sinkiang province where mining has been carried out for the past ten years Information is insufficient to permit an accurate estimate of present production of uranium but it is believed that sufficient ores are mined annually from which the Chinese can derive several hundred tons of uraniuzn metal per year It is likely that the Chinese are presently undertaking preliminary processing of the uranium ores _Application of Nuclear Energy During the ceremony for the inauguration of China's first research reactor on 27 September 1958 KUO Mo-jo president of the Academy of Sciences stated that the 12-year Plan for Science would be fulfilled 5 to 7 years ahead of schedule His statement gives at least some indication of the emphasis being given to nuclear energy application throughout China Directives for the Second Five Year Plan 1962-66 made no mention of nuclear power stations but in 1956 the Minister for Power declared that atomic power stations wbuld be built SID 60 11 31 May 60 -14- sums This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu