Telegram of Congratulations from Mao Zedong et al. on the Twelfth Anniversary of the Founding of the German Democratic Republic (October 6, 1961)  To Comrade Walter Ulbricht, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and Chairman of the State Council of the German Democratic Republic; to Comrade Otto Grotewohl, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic; to Dr. Johannes Dieckmann, Chairman of the People’s Chamber of the German Democratic Republic; and to Professor Dr. Erich Correns, Chairman of the National Council of the National Front of Democratic Germany:

On the occasion of the twelfth 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, as well as in our own names, we extend to you and, through you, to the people of the German Democratic Republic, our warmest congratulations.

The German Democratic Republic has consistently pursued a policy of peace in its foreign relations and has made positive contributions to opposing the aggressive and war-mongering policies of imperialism and to safeguarding peace in Europe and throughout the world. At present, however, West German militarism, fostered by the Western powers led by the United States, has been revived and is increasingly threatening peace in Europe and the world. Meanwhile, U.S. imperialism and its allies continue stubbornly to obstruct the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany, persist in their illegal occupation of West Berlin, and are exploiting the so-called “Berlin Crisis” which they themselves have engineered to intensify military buildup and preparations for war, thereby exacerbating international tensions.

We once again solemnly declare that the Chinese people firmly support the steadfast position and just proposals put forward by the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic, and the other signatory states of the Warsaw Pact[1] concerning the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany and, on that basis, the normalization of the situation in West Berlin. We are confident that the just struggle of the German Democratic Republic will surely achieve final victory.

Both China and the German Democratic Republic are members of the socialist camp. The development of friendly cooperative relations between our two countries plays an important role in advancing the socialist construction of each country and in strengthening the socialist camp. We are deeply convinced that, under the banner of Marxism-Leninism and on the basis of the Moscow Declaration[2], the friendly and cooperative relations between China and the German Democratic Republic will undoubtedly be further consolidated and developed.

May the fraternal friendship between the peoples of China and the German Democratic Republic 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 and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference  Date: Year Month Day

Printed from the October 7, 1961 issue of the People’s Daily.

Notes

[1] Refers to the eight countries—the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania, and Albania—which signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance in Warsaw on May 14, 1955, and are therefore known as the Warsaw Pact member states.

[2] Refers to the Declaration of the Meeting of Representatives of Communist and Workers’ Parties of Various Countries, adopted at the meeting held in Moscow in November 1960, attended by representatives of eighty-one communist and workers’ parties.