Telegram of Congratulations from Mao Zedong et al. on the Tenth Anniversary of the Founding of the German Democratic Republic (October 5, 1959)  Comrade Wilhelm Pieck, President of the German Democratic Republic; Comrade Johannes Dieckmann, Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Chamber of the German Democratic Republic; Comrade Otto Grotewohl, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic; Comrade Walter Ulbricht, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany:

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the founding of the German Democratic Republic, on behalf of the Communist Party of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese people, we extend our most sincere and warmest congratulations to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, the Government of the German Democratic Republic, and its people.

The establishment of the German Democratic Republic was a great victory for the peaceful and democratic forces in Germany and a momentous historical event of our time. The past ten years since its founding have been a decade of the greatest revolution in German history. Over these ten years, the hardworking people of the German Democratic Republic, under the leadership of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Government of the German Democratic Republic, have achieved brilliant successes in socialist construction and socialist transformation.

The Seven-Year Plan for the Development of the National Economy of the German Democratic Republic, recently proposed for the period from year to year, is a manifestation of the collective wisdom of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, the Government of the German Democratic Republic, and the people; it embodies the lofty aspirations and bright future of all the German people. There can be no doubt that the successful implementation of this Seven-Year Plan will further strengthen the power of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union.

The German Democratic Republic has steadfastly pursued a policy of peace in its foreign relations, actively supporting the struggles of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America to safeguard and achieve national independence and democratic freedoms, resolutely opposing the aggressive and war-mongering policies of U.S. imperialism and West German militarism, and making strenuous efforts to secure the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany and to bring about the reunification of Germany through the establishment of a confederation. All of this has won the ardent praise and widespread acclaim of all peace-loving nations and peoples throughout the world.

The Chinese people fully support the just struggle of the people of the German Democratic Republic and are deeply convinced that the sacred cause of the German people to reunify their homeland will surely achieve final victory.

The People’s Republic of China and the German Democratic Republic were born in the same year and month as fraternal states. Over the past ten years, the fraternal friendship and cooperation between our two peoples have been comprehensively developed and consolidated in the struggle for socialist construction and against imperialism. The friendly cooperation between our two peoples plays a vital role in strengthening the unity of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union and in upholding the noble cause of world peace.

We wish the brotherly people of the German Democratic Republic ever greater achievements in their endeavors to build socialism, to strive for the peaceful reunification of Germany, and to defend world peace! May the unbreakable fraternal friendship between the Chinese and German peoples be further consolidated and strengthened.

The Communist Party of China  Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee  Liu Shaoqi, President 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  Date: Month, Year  Printed according to the edition in the October 7, 1959 issue of the People’s Daily.