Telegram on the 14th Anniversary of the Liberation of Korea
(14 August 1959)

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,
Comrade Choe Yong Gon, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea:

On the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the liberation of Korea, we wish to extend, on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese people, warm congratulations to the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the Korean people.

Under the correct leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea headed by Comrade Kim Il Sung, the Korean people have performed selfless labour, displayed boundless creativity, and, advancing at the swift pace of Chollima, have victoriously fulfilled the gross industrial output value target of the First Five-Year Plan two and a half years ahead of schedule. The Chinese people feel infinite joy and inspiration at the brilliant achievements of the fraternal Korean people.

The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Korean people have consistently pursued a foreign policy of peace and have made unremitting efforts to ease the tense situation in the Far East and to promote world peace. The just struggle waged extensively by the Korean people, demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. aggressive forces from south Korea and the realization of the peaceful reunification of the fatherland, has won universal support from the peace-loving people of the whole world. The Chinese people firmly support the just struggle of the fraternal Korean people and are deeply convinced that U.S. imperialism will surely be driven out and that the Korean people’s cause of peacefully reunifying the fatherland will surely be victorious.

Over the past year, the unbreakable fraternal friendship and close cooperation between the peoples of China and Korea have been further consolidated and developed in the cause of seeking the common economic and cultural prosperity of the two countries and the well-being of the people. This is of great significance to the cause of strengthening the unity of the socialist camp headed by the Soviet Union and safeguarding peace in Asia and the world.

May the Korean people achieve still greater successes in the struggle for socialist construction and for the reunification of their fatherland.

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

Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
Liu Shaoqi
Chairman of the People’s Republic of China
Zhu De
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

14 August 1959