Reply on the Occasion of Accepting the Letters of Credence from Ambassador König of the German Democratic Republic (November 12, 1953)

Comrade Ambassador:  It gives me great pleasure to accept the letters of credence entrusted to you by the President of the German Democratic Republic, and I express my sincere gratitude for your congratulations. Over the past four years, the friendly and cooperative relations between the People’s Republic of China and the German Democratic Republic have undergone tremendous development. Now that our respective diplomatic missions have been upgraded to embassies, not only will the close cooperation between our two countries in the political, economic, and cultural spheres be further strengthened, but this also carries immense significance for consolidating the camp of peace, democracy, and socialism led by the great Soviet Union.

The German people’s major achievements in national construction and in their struggle for peace have made the German Democratic Republic a staunch bastion of the forces of peace and democracy throughout Germany, as well as an important factor in safeguarding peace in Europe and the world. I am confident that, with the assistance of the great Soviet Union and with the sympathy and support of all the people’s democratic countries and peace-loving peoples worldwide, the just struggle of the German people to establish a unified, independent, democratic, and peace-loving Germany will surely achieve even greater victories. In this struggle, the German people will always enjoy the full support of the Chinese people.

Comrade Ambassador, it is with warm enthusiasm that I welcome you to your post as the Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Ambassador of the German Democratic Republic to the People’s Republic of China. In your efforts to strengthen the friendly and cooperative ties between Germany and China, you may rest assured of my full support and that of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. I wish you every success in your work.  Printed in the People’s Daily, November 13, 1953.