Reply to Enver Hoxha’s Telegram
(December 18, 1958)

Tirana
Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labour

Dear Comrade Enver Hoxha,
Your letter, handed to Comrade Luo Shigao, our ambassador to your country, on October 9, 1958, for transmission to me, has been received.

We are deeply grateful for your detailed introduction to some important issues concerning the Third Five-Year Plan for the development of the economy and culture of the People’s Republic of Albania. The Chinese people have always shown concern for the socialist construction endeavors of the Albanian people and take joy in the achievements made by our fraternal Albanian people in their construction efforts.

In your letter, you mentioned that, in order to successfully fulfill your Third Five-Year Plan, you hope that the Chinese side will provide new loans. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Government of the People’s Republic of China agree to grant the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania a loan of 55 million rubles, and this has already been communicated to Comrade Ambassador Balili through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Specific matters concerning the loan and the supply of various key materials will be discussed by the relevant departments of our two governments.

With communist salutations!

Mao Zedong
December 18, 1958