(September 10, 1958)
Comrade Chairman Hu:
Your letter of September 8, No. 12 1, has been received. Thank you.
In my view:
(A) The U.S. imperialists are afraid of war; as things stand now, a major war is highly unlikely.
(B) You and your colleagues may continue your work as usual.
Mao Zedong
September 10, 1958
[I]
Ho Chi Minh, who at that time served as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
[2]
Refers to Ho Chi Minh’s telegram to Mao Zedong dated September 8, 1958. The telegram stated: In view of the tense situation around Taiwan and the intransigent attitude of U.S. imperialism, please inform us:
(A) Is a Sino-U.S. war likely to break out?
(B) What preparations should Vietnam make?

One–two Cheng’er’
Jiu h
! Qi Kou J~ l 0 \(]
Handwritten draft of Mao Zedong’s reply telegram to Ho Chi Minh.