Telegram from Mao Zedong et al. Congratulating Albania on the Seventeenth Anniversary of Its Liberation (November 28, 1961) Comrade Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Albanian Labor 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 seventeenth anniversary of Albania’s liberation, 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 glorious Albanian Labor Party, the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania, and the heroic Albanian people.

Over the past seventeen years, the Albanian people, rich in glorious revolutionary traditions, under the correct leadership of the Central Committee of the Albanian Labor Party headed by the tried and tested leader Comrade Enver Hoxha, have displayed indomitable heroism and a spirit of arduous struggle in their resolute fight against enemies at home and abroad and in the cause of socialist construction. They have surmounted numerous difficulties, achieving brilliant victories and tremendous accomplishments.

At present, the Albanian people are laboring with selfless enthusiasm to implement the plan adopted at the Fourth Congress of the Albanian Labor Party for the further development of Albania’s socialist construction—the Third Five-Year Plan. We firmly believe that, closely united around the Albanian Labor Party, the Albanian people will surely overcome all obstacles in their path and attain new, even more glorious achievements in the cause of socialist construction.

The People’s Republic of Albania is a glorious member of the socialist family. Standing as a sentinel at the southwestern outpost of the socialist camp, it has made important contributions to safeguarding the security of the socialist camp. The Government of the People’s Republic of Albania has consistently pursued a policy of peace, waging an unyielding struggle to defend world peace, promote peaceful coexistence among countries with different social systems, oppose the aggressive and war-mongering policies of imperialism, and support the revolutionary movements of oppressed nations and peoples.

The Albanian Labor Party has always remained faithful to the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, upholding the Declaration of the Moscow Meeting of 1957[1] and the Statement of the Moscow Meeting of 1960[2], and resolutely safeguarding and strengthening the unity of the socialist camp and the international communist movement. The principled, uncompromising struggle waged by the Albanian Labor Party against modern revisionists represented by Tito’s clique in Yugoslavia has played a significant role in defending Marxism-Leninism.

The Chinese and Albanian peoples are close brothers within the socialist family. In the course of building socialism, in the struggle against imperialism and modern revisionism, and in the defense of world peace, our two peoples have always supported each other and cooperated closely. This friendship, founded on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, is entirely in line with the interests of both our peoples and with those of the entire socialist camp. The Chinese people will steadfastly continue to make every effort to develop the unbreakable friendship between the Chinese and Albanian peoples and to strengthen the unity of the socialist camp and the solidarity of the peoples of all countries. May the fraternal friendship between the Chinese and Albanian peoples 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 Zhou Enlai, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China November 28, 1961

Printed according to the edition published in the People’s Daily on November 29, 1961. Notes [1] Refers to the “Declaration of the Communist and Workers’ Parties of Socialist Countries,” adopted at the meeting of representatives of communist and workers’ parties from twelve socialist countries held in Moscow from November 14 to 16, 1957. [2] Refers to the “Statement of the Meeting of Representatives of Communist and Workers’ Parties of Various Countries,” adopted at the meeting of representatives of eighty-one communist and workers’ parties held in Moscow in November 1960.