Telegram from Mao Zedong et al. Congratulating the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on the Fifteenth Anniversary of Its Founding (September 1, 1960) Comrade Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; Comrade Truong Chinh, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam; Comrade Pham Van Dong, Prime Minister of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam: On the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, on behalf of the Communist Party of China, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese people, we extend our warmest fraternal congratulations to the Vietnamese Workers’ Party, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and all the Vietnamese people.

The heroic Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Vietnamese Workers’ Party headed by President Ho Chi Minh, after a long and arduous struggle, overthrew imperialist colonial rule and achieved national independence in month year. However, less than a month after the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, it was again subjected to armed aggression by French imperialism. The Vietnamese people rallied closely around the Vietnamese Workers’ Party and President Ho Chi Minh, waged nine years of valiant resistance, and ultimately repelled the imperialist invasion, thereby securing the liberation of North Vietnam.

The victory of the Vietnamese people has set a shining example for the struggle of oppressed nations to attain liberation. Following liberation, the people of North Vietnam embarked on an enormous-scale socialist transformation and construction, achieving significant successes. At present, the people of North Vietnam are striving to fulfill and overfulfill all targets for socialist transformation and construction as stipulated in the —— Three-Year Plan. We are firmly convinced that the industrious and courageous Vietnamese people will certainly accomplish this glorious task with distinction.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people have consistently upheld the Geneva Agreements [1], making unremitting efforts toward the peaceful reunification of their motherland. Although U.S. imperialism has long maintained control over South Vietnam, doing everything possible to obstruct Vietnam’s peaceful reunification, these criminal acts are increasingly arousing strong resistance among the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people’s aspiration for the peaceful reunification of their country cannot be thwarted by any force. The just struggle of the Vietnamese people will surely achieve final victory.

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam has consistently pursued a policy of peaceful diplomacy, resolutely safeguarding the unity of the socialist camp, firmly opposing U.S. imperialist aggression, upholding peace in Indochina and Asia, and vigorously supporting the national liberation movements of colonial and semi-colonial peoples, while actively developing friendly relations with the peace‑neutral countries of Asia and Africa. All of this has won the praise and support of peace‑loving peoples and nations throughout the world.

China and Vietnam are neighboring countries that are closely linked, like lips and teeth; they are also close brothers within the socialist family. The friendship between our two peoples is founded upon Marxism–Leninism and proletarian internationalism, and it is unbreakable.

The Chinese people celebrate with great excitement the glorious fifteenth anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, as well as the brilliant achievements attained by the Vietnamese people over the past fifteen years. We sincerely wish you comrades—and through you, the brotherly Vietnamese people—new and even greater successes in building socialism, in resisting U.S. imperialist aggression, in striving for the peaceful reunification of the motherland, in strengthening the unity of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union, and in the cause of safeguarding world peace.

Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China 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 Beijing, date Year Month Day

Printed according to the People’s Daily of September 2, 1960 Notes [1] Refers to the various agreements reached at the Geneva Conference held from July 20 to 21, 1954, concerning the restoration of peace in the Indochinese countries, including the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Vietnam, the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Laos, the Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Cambodia, and the Final Declaration of the Geneva Conference, among others. The main provisions of these agreements were: restoration of peace in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; withdrawal of French forces from Indochina; respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of these three countries, with no interference in their internal affairs; and a commitment by the aforementioned three countries not to join any military alliances or permit foreign military bases to be established on their territories.