and Comments on the Reply Letter
To
Dear Friend,
Dear Brother,
President Sukarno:
(November 25 and 26, 1963)
I was very pleased to receive and read your letter of October 23.
In your letter, you emphasized the important role of Sino-Soviet unity, expressed your unease and concern over the differences of opinion between China and the Soviet Union, and indicated your hope that these differences could be properly resolved through consultation. Your good intentions in this regard have earned our sincere gratitude, both mine and that of my colleagues.
The Chinese Communists have always cherished Sino-Soviet unity, the unity of the socialist camp, the unity of all revolutionary parties and revolutionary forces, as well as the unity of the revolutionary peoples of the world and all peace-loving people. We have consistently made every effort to safeguard and strengthen this great unity for the purpose of jointly confronting our common enemy.
Over the past few years, with regard to the differences of opinion between China and the Soviet Union, our stance has been to uphold principles while at the same time maintaining unity, seeking to resolve these differences through equal-footed consultations. Going forward, we shall continue to adhere unswervingly to this approach. Dear friend and brother, you may rest assured that my colleagues and I, our Party, and the Chinese people will, as always, persistently strive to reinforce Sino-Soviet unity and the unity of all revolutionary forces.
We wholeheartedly support the principle you set forth in your letter—“be conciliatory toward ourselves, but resolute in our struggle against the enemy.” This principle has also been our consistent position in dealing with relations between friends and foes.
As your friends and the friends of the great Indonesian people, my colleagues and I deeply admire the vigorous efforts and significant contributions you and the Indonesian people have made to sever the lifeline of world imperialism.
We have always endorsed your battle cry: “We love peace, but we love independence even more.”
We are in full agreement with your view that in Indonesia, in Taiwan, China, throughout Southeast Asia, and across Asia, Africa, and Latin America—and indeed worldwide—the struggle against imperialism is far from over and must continue.
My colleagues and I, together with our Party and the Chinese people, are greatly delighted by your liberation of West Irian. We stand in solidarity with your struggle against the neo-colonialist scheme known as “Malaysia.” We also pay tribute to your remarkable achievement in initiating and hosting the Games of the New Emerging Forces, despite all obstacles.
Dear friend and brother, let me here extend my best wishes to you and to the Indonesian people. Rest assured that the Chinese people will forever stand side by side with the Indonesian people, supporting each other and advancing hand in hand in our common fight against imperialism.
Yours sincerely,
Mao Zedong
Beijing, November 25, 1963

Comrade Yang Shangkun, please attend to this immediately.
Mao Zedong
| 2:00 a.m., November 26
[ I]
Yang Shangkun, then an alternate member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.