Telegram of Greetings on the National Day of the Democratic Republic

(October 6, 1958)

To Comrade Wilhelm Pieck, President of the German Democratic Republic,

To Comrade Johannes Dieckmann, Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Chamber of the German Democratic Republic,

To Comrade Otto Grotewohl, Prime Minister of the German Democratic Republic,

To Comrade Walter Ulbricht, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany:

On the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the founding of the German Democratic Republic, we, on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Chinese people, extend warm congratulations to the Government of the German Democratic Republic and the German people.

For nine years, under the leadership of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Government of the German Democratic Republic, the people of the German Democratic Republic have achieved great successes in the great cause of building socialism. Loyal to the principles of proletarian internationalism, the German people have made contributions to consolidating the unity of the socialist camp headed by the Soviet Union, defending the purity of Marxism-Leninism, and opposing modern revisionism. The German people are waging a resolute struggle against the war policies of American imperialism and the West German government, for defending European and world peace, and for striving for the reunification of Germany on a peaceful and democratic basis. The Chinese people fully support the just struggle of the German people.

The fraternal friendship between the people of China and Germany is unbreakable. The government and people of the German Democratic Republic have given strong support to the current struggle of the Chinese people against the intensified military provocations and war threats of American imperialism against our country. The Chinese people are very grateful for this fraternal support. The unity of our two peoples will surely help strengthen the socialist camp headed by the Soviet Union and safeguard the noble cause of world peace.

We wish the fraternal German people new and greater achievements in the struggle to realize the resolutions of the Fifth Congress of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.

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

October 6, 1958, in Beijing