What did the declassified documents reveal?

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis of the leadership of the People’s Republic of China, dated December eleventh, nineteen seventy‑eight. The document is notable because it reflects the United States’ assessment of internal debates within the Chinese Communist Party on economic policy and the potential for decentralization during a pivotal period of reform. The memorandum was released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act on May twenty‑third, two thousand two. The declassification was authorized by the Director of Central Intelligence, and the record is available through the CIA’s electronic reading room and the Black Vault archive. The memorandum reads as follows. “CONFIDENTIAL – Approved for release May twenty‑third, two thousand two. The Director of Central Intelligence Washington, D.C., 20505 December eleventh, nineteen seventy‑eight National Intelligence Officer for China MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence VIA: Director, National Foreign Assessment Center SUBJECT: DIA Analysis of the PRC Leadership 1. Action Requested: None. This memorandum is for your information. It is in response to your question on DIA analysis of the Chinese leadership (see attached). 2. Background: This People’s Republic of China item leaves the unwarranted impression that the Chinese are considering at least a partial “rejection of communism” in the area of economic decision making. Such a conclusion is not a responsible one to draw from the evidence at hand. The statement of a Chinese official to a leadership gathering that socialist systems become “over‑bureaucratized” by no means implies an abandonment of socialism or the embracing of capitalism. Rigid bureaucratic systems have been pet peeves of every Chinese communist leader starting with Mao and including Teng. The item’s conclusion that economic decision making will become “so decentralized as to impinge on the authority of the national government” also is unwarranted. The fact that China’s top officials are meeting now to discuss such issues as economic policy attests to Peking’s intention to keep the establishment of the major policy lines to itself. We expect some decentralization of economic decision making—Peking has publicly urged local authorities to show more initiative in this regard—and it is logical to assume that the current effort to strike a workable balance between central and local initiative is no less difficult than it has ever been. The DIA review is completed. 3. Assessment: The analysis notes that the Chinese communists do not appear poised to abandon their long‑standing socialist orientation in favor of a capitalist system, nor will strong‑willed leaders such as Teng Hsiao‑ping relinquish the principal decision‑making authority to local units. The sources of this report are westernized Chinese in contact with sympathetic contacts in western embassies. Their comments are not typical of…

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 Memorandum Concerning A

◆ BLUF — The short version

This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis of the leadership of the People’s Republic of China, dated December eleventh, nineteen seventy‑eight.

Date: AUG 4 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
Source document: View the primary source document

↯ Dispatch — press play2:51

0:002:51

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

View the primary source document

Questions about this case

What was CIA This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Concerning A about?: This is a declassified Central Intelligence Agency memorandum concerning a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis of the leadership of the People’s Republic of China, dated December eleventh, nineteen seventy‑eight.
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.

intelligence-vault

Related cases

✉ Dispatches

A short dispatch when a new file is released — narrated, answer-first, and linked straight to the primary source. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

↯ Subscribe to the feed

RSS feed Browse all cases

CIA This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Memorandum Concerning A

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence Appraisal On

CIA Indochina Briefings Summary, Central Intelligence Agency Cable, November

Cold Open: This Is A Declassified CIA Record From 1978, Detailing A

CIA Declassified Briefing Memorandum, Central Intelligence Agency, December Fourth

CIA Intelligence Summary – Party Work Conference In The People’s Republic Of China

Questions about this case

Related cases

CIA This Is A Declassified Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence Appraisal On

CIA Indochina Briefings Summary, Central Intelligence Agency Cable, November

Cold Open: This Is A Declassified CIA Record From 1978, Detailing A

CIA Declassified Briefing Memorandum, Central Intelligence Agency, December Fourth

CIA Intelligence Summary – Party Work Conference In The People’s Republic Of China

Get the next declassified case in your inbox