What did the declassified documents reveal?

Declassified is a storyflo podcast. This episode features a declassified National Intelligence Estimate from the Central Intelligence Agency, dated December sixth, nineteen-sixty. This record, titled "Communist China", offers a strategic assessment of China's domestic and external relations, projecting trends for the next five years. It's notable for its early analysis of China's economic and military trajectory. This document was released by The Black Vault under a Freedom of Information Act request, with a declassification authority granted in May, two-thousand-four. You can find the full record at documents2.theblackvault.com. The document opens: "National Intelligence Estimate Number thirteen-sixty. This supersedes National Intelligence Estimate thirteen-fifty-nine. Communist China. The following organizations participated in the preparation of this estimate: The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, The Joint Staff, and the Atomic Energy Commission. Concurring were The Director of Intelligence and Research, Department of State; the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army; the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations, Intelligence, for the Department of the Navy; the Director of Intelligence, S A M, for the Department of the Air Force; the Director for Intelligence, Joint Staff; the Director of Intelligence, A E C, for the Atomic Energy Commission; the Assistant Director, F B I, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Special Operations, for the Department of Defense; and the Director of N S A for the National Security Agency. This estimate was disseminated by the Central Intelligence Agency. This copy is for the information and use of the recipient and of persons under his jurisdiction on a need to know basis. Additional essential dissemination may be authorized by the following officials within their respective departments: a. Director of Intelligence and Research, for the Department of State. b. Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of the Army. c. Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Intelligence), for the Department of the Navy. d. Director of Intelligence, S A M, for the Department of the Air Force. e. Director for Intelligence, Joint Staff, for The Joint Staff. f. Director of Intelligence, A E C, for the Atomic Energy Commission. g. Assistant Director, F B I, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. h. Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Special Operations, for the Department of Defense. i. Director of N S A for the National Security Agency. j. The Director for Central Reference, C I A, for any other Department or Agency. Table of Contents: The Problem. Conclusions. I. Communist China’s Internal Situation. A. The Economy. Industry. Agriculture. Manpower and Population. Science and Technology. B. Social-Political. The Party. The People. Domestic Outlook. C. Military…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

CIA Communist China

◆ BLUF — The short version

Declassified is a storyflo podcast. This episode features a declassified National Intelligence Estimate from the Central Intelligence Agency, dated December sixth, nineteen-sixty. This record, titled "Communist China", offers a strategic assessment of China's domestic and external relations, projecting trends for the next five years.

Date: SEP 17 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA Communist China about?: Declassified is a storyflo podcast. This episode features a declassified National Intelligence Estimate from the Central Intelligence Agency, dated December sixth, nineteen-sixty. This record, titled "Communist China", offers a strategic assessment of China's domestic and external relations, projecting trends for the next five years.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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