Telegram on the Tenth Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic
(September 8, 1958)

To Comrade Kim Il-sung, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,

And to Comrade Choe Yong-geon, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea:

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese people, we extend to you and to all the Korean people our warmest fraternal congratulations.

The establishment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea marked a great victory for the Korean people in their long and arduous struggle for independence and self-determination. Over the past ten years, under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the heroic Korean people have traversed a difficult yet glorious path. Shortly after the birth of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, U.S. aggressors launched a frenzied attack upon it, seeking to restore a dark colonial regime on this land of freedom. However, the heroic Korean people were undaunted. With the support of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union and of peace-loving peoples throughout the world, and with the participation of the Chinese People’s Volunteers, they stood united as one, fought bravely and valiantly, and ultimately defeated the aggression forces headed by U.S. imperialism, achieving a brilliant victory. This great triumph of the Korean people greatly inspired the struggles of peoples everywhere for independence and freedom, and constituted a major contribution to the cause of halting war and safeguarding peace. Following the armistice, the Korean people surmounted numerous difficulties, swiftly healed the wounds of war, and are now vigorously carrying forward socialist construction.

The Chinese people rejoice at these achievements of our Korean brothers.

The great friendship between China and Korea, forged in blood during their common struggle against aggression on the basis of proletarian internationalism, is unbreakable. The friendship and close cooperation between our two peoples are of immense significance for strengthening the unity of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union and for safeguarding peace in Asia and throughout the world.

We wish the Korean people new and even greater successes in their great undertaking of building socialism and in their struggle for the peaceful reunification of Korea.

May the fraternal friendship between the peoples of China and Korea endure forever!

Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China

Liu Shaoqi, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China

Zhou Enlai, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

Beijing, September 8, 1958