Telegram on the Seventeenth Anniversary of the Socialist Revolution
(September 8, 1961)

Comrade Todor Zhivkov, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party,
Comrade Dimitar Ganev, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Bulgaria,
Comrade Anton Yugov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Bulgaria:

On the occasion of the seventeenth anniversary of the socialist revolution in Bulgaria, we wish, on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, the Government of the People's Republic of China, and the Chinese people, to extend warm congratulations to the Bulgarian Communist Party, the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian people.

Over the past year, the Bulgarian people, under the leadership of the Bulgarian Communist Party and the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, have achieved new successes in socialist construction; at the same time, they have made active efforts in the struggle against the imperialist policies of aggression and war and in safeguarding peace in the Balkans and the world. The Chinese people feel heartfelt joy at the achievements gained by their fraternal Bulgarian people.

The fraternal friendship between the peoples of China and Bulgaria, founded on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, is eternal and unbreakable. We are deeply convinced that, guided by the Statement of the 1960 Meeting of Representatives of Communist and Workers' Parties, this friendship will certainly be further consolidated and developed, thereby making greater contributions to strengthening the unity of the socialist camp, safeguarding world peace, and advancing the cause of human progress.

We wish the Bulgarian people still greater achievements in the cause of building socialism. May the fraternal friendship between the peoples of China and Bulgaria 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

September 8, 1961