What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency report concerning the Pumencheng electronic intelligence, or ELINT, facility in China, dated October 1969. The record appears in the public archive hosted at the Black Vault. The document was released to the public after a declassification review by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the Department of Defense. It was approved for release on April twenty‑ninth, two thousand three, and subsequently uploaded to the Black Vault website, where it is available for download as a text file. The report begins with an abstract. It reads: “This report provides a location map, mensuration and description of significant buildings, and an annotated photograph of the Pumencheng ELINT Facility. The facility contains one hundred four buildings and approximately eighteen antennas which are oriented toward Taiwan. It is one of three known ELINT facilities on the China coast.” The introduction follows: “The Pumencheng ELINT Facility is located five nautical miles north‑north‑west of Pumencheng and one hundred thirty‑five nautical miles northwest of Taipei, Taiwan, on a three‑thousand‑two‑hundred foot mountain. This facility is similar to two other known electronic intercept sites in China: the Tachiu Electronic Intercept Site at twenty‑five degrees twenty‑five minutes north, one hundred nineteen degrees thirty‑seven minutes east, and the Tamaoshan Suspect Intercept Site at twenty‑four degrees nineteen minutes north, one hundred seventeen degrees forty‑eight minutes east. The antennas at this facility are oriented toward Taiwan; however, the distance would place Taiwan beyond line‑of‑sight intercept range.” The basic description continues: “The Pumencheng ELINT Facility consists of eighteen antennas, which appear to be either parabolic or cut‑parabolic types, predominately of a dish configuration. Terrain and interpretability of available photography preclude accurate individual measurements, but the antenna sizes are approximately [redacted] in diameter. There are approximately one hundred four buildings at the facility. A single‑lane gravel road extends from the vicinity of Chiaotunmon approximately twelve nautical miles to the northwest and terminates at the facility. There is no apparent physical security at the facility. There are, however, two six‑gun light antiaircraft positions at the site and another six‑gun light antiaircraft position located zero point six nautical miles southwest of the facility. Power for the facility is probably generated on site; no power trace is observed entering the facility. The Pumencheng ELINT Facility was first identified as an electronic intercept facility on [redacted] photography and has apparently been unchanged except for minor construction through subsequent photographic surveys.” The report then lists a table of structures, excerpted here: “Table One – Items at Pumencheng ELINT Facility Support building – thirteen feet; Barracks – two; Barracks – fourteen…

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 This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Report Concerning The

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency report concerning the Pumencheng electronic intelligence, or ELINT, facility in China, dated October 1969. The record appears in the public archive hosted at the Black Vault. The document was released to the public after a declassification review by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the Department of Defense.

Date: AUG 7 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

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What was CIA This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Report Concerning The about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency report concerning the Pumencheng electronic intelligence, or ELINT, facility in China, dated October 1969. The record appears in the public archive hosted at the Black Vault. The document was released to the public after a declassification review by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency and the Department of Defense.
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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