Havana
Telegram on the 11th Anniversary of the Armed Uprising [I]
(July 25, 1964)

Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the National Leadership Committee of the Unified Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba and Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government of Cuba,
Comrade Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, President of the Republic of Cuba:

On the occasion of the glorious festival of the 11th anniversary of the armed uprising of the Cuban people, we, on behalf of the Chinese people, the Chinese Communist Party, and the Chinese Government, extend fraternal and warm congratulations to the heroic Cuban people, the Unified Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba, and the Revolutionary Government of Cuba.

Eleven years ago, under the leadership of Comrade Fidel Castro, the Cuban people raised the great banner of armed revolution, opening a brilliant page in the history of the revolutionary struggles of the people of Cuba and Latin America. Following the correct path of armed revolution opened up by the 26th of July, the Cuban people, through a long and arduous struggle, finally overthrew the puppet regime of U.S. imperialism, won victory in the national democratic revolution, resolutely embarked on the socialist road, and established the first socialist state in Latin America.

[I]
This is a telegram sent by Mao Zedong in the name of Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, jointly with 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; and Zhou Enlai, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, to Fidel Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the National Leadership Committee of the United Organization of the Revolution of Cuba and Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government of Cuba, and others, congratulating the Cuban people on the 11th anniversary of the armed uprising.

Since the victory of the revolution, the heroic Cuban people, under the strong leadership of the Revolutionary Government of Cuba headed by Prime Minister Fidel Castro, have worked hard, overcome numerous difficulties, and achieved tremendous successes in all aspects of the socialist revolution and socialist construction. These facts fully demonstrate that the strength of a people who have taken their destiny into their own hands and who dare to struggle and dare to win is inexhaustible and invincible.

Socialist Cuba has grown and developed in the course of a heroic and tenacious struggle against U.S. imperialism. The Cuban people, united as solidly as steel around Comrade Castro and the Revolutionary Government, holding high the banner of revolution and the banner of opposing U.S. imperialism, adhering to the revolutionary line of the two Havana Declarations, and upholding the five just demands [1], have waged a tit-for-tat struggle against U.S. imperialism, defended Cuba’s independence and sovereignty, and safeguarded Cuba’s socialism. The consolidation and development of the victory of the Cuban revolution have greatly inspired and supported the national democratic revolutionary struggles of the Latin American people, and greatly inspired and supported the struggles for liberation of the oppressed peoples and oppressed nations of the whole world.

China and Cuba are both socialist countries. The common tasks of opposing U.S. imperialism, the most ferocious enemy of humanity, and of building socialism have closely united the peoples of our two countries. Since the victory of the Cuban revolution, the friendly relations between China and Cuba have achieved significant development on the basis of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism. No matter what may happen on earth in the future, the Chinese people will forever fight together with the fraternal Cuban people, with the people of Latin America, and with the people of the whole world to the very end, for the victory of opposing imperialism, striving for world peace, national liberation, people’s democracy, and socialism.

May the revolutionary and construction endeavors of the Cuban people win victory after victory. May the militant friendship between the peoples of China and Cuba endure forever.

Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

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

July 25, 1964

[1] Refers to the five demands set forth in the statement issued by the Cuban Government on October 28, 1962: (1) Cessation of the economic blockade and of the measures of trade and economic pressure applied by the United States against Cuba throughout the world. (2) Cessation of all subversive activities, of the dropping and supplying of arms and explosives by air and sea, of the organization of invasions by mercenary forces, and of the infiltration of spies and saboteurs, all of which activities are carried out from the territory of the United States and certain accomplice countries. (3) Cessation of the pirate attacks launched from bases in the United States and Puerto Rico. (4) Cessation of all violations of Cuban airspace and territorial waters by U.S. military aircraft and warships. (5) Withdrawal from the Guantánamo Naval Base and return of this piece of Cuban territory occupied by the United States.