Telegram on the Sixteenth Anniversary of Albania’s Liberation
(November 28, 1960)

Comrade Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Albanian Labour Party;
Comrade Haxhi Lleshi, Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Albania;
Comrade Mehmet Shehu, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic of Albania:

On the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of Albania’s liberation, on behalf of the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, we hereby extend to you, dear comrades, and through you to the Albanian people, the Albanian Labour Party, and the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania, our warmest fraternal congratulations.

Over the past sixteen years, the hardworking, courageous, and revolutionarily-minded Albanian people, under the steadfast leadership of the time-tested Albanian Labour Party headed by Comrade Hoxha, have surmounted numerous difficulties, carried out socialist transformation, and pursued socialist construction at a rapid pace, fundamentally transforming the face of their homeland. At present, the Albanian people have already fulfilled, one year ahead of schedule, the industrial production targets and the tasks of agricultural collectivization set forth in the Second Five-Year Plan, and are now embarking on the ambitious Third Five-Year Plan with even greater enthusiasm and confidence. We are firmly convinced that the Albanian people will certainly achieve new and more brilliant successes in the cause of socialist construction.

The Government of the People’s Republic of Albania and the Albanian people have consistently upheld a policy of peaceful diplomacy, resolutely opposed the aggressive actions and war-mongering plots of U.S. imperialism, and actively supported the just struggles of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, thereby making significant contributions to the advancement of human progress and the maintenance of world peace. The glorious Albanian Labour Party has held high the revolutionary banner of Marxism-Leninism, waged a determined struggle against the principal danger currently facing the international communist movement—the modern revisionists—and made outstanding contributions to safeguarding the purity of Marxism-Leninism, upholding the unity of the socialist camp led by the Soviet Union, and preserving the solidarity of the international communist movement. Through its unwavering loyalty to Marxism-Leninism, the Albanian Labour Party has won the respect of communists throughout the world. The Communist Party of China takes great pride in having such a staunch comrade-in-arms as the Albanian Labour Party.

In their common struggle against imperialism, modern revisionism, and for the building of socialism, the peoples of China and Albania have forged a fraternal and combatant friendship. Our two peoples have always stood united, cooperated closely, and rendered mutual support. The Chinese people express their profound gratitude to the Albanian people for their tremendous assistance. Strengthening the fraternal friendship between our two peoples, which is based on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, is entirely in line with the common interests of both nations and with the interests of the socialist camp, the international communist movement, and the cause of safeguarding world peace. We are confident that this friendship will be further consolidated and developed in our future joint struggles.

We sincerely wish the Albanian people ever greater achievements and ultimate victory in their struggle to build socialism and to defend peace in Europe and throughout the world. May the fraternal friendship between the peoples of China and Albania endure forever!

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, November 28, 1960