Telegram on the Sixteenth Anniversary of the Founding of the State
(October 6, 1965)
Berlin

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;

Comrade Willi Stoph, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic;

Professor Dr. Johannes Dieckmann, President of the People’s Chamber of the German Democratic Republic;

Professor Dr. Erich Correns, Chairman of the National Council of the National Front of the German Democratic Republic:

On the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the founding of the German Democratic Republic, we extend our warmest congratulations to the people of the German Democratic Republic, to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, and to the Government of the German Democratic Republic.

The Chinese people have always taken a keen interest in the German Democratic Republic’s endeavor to build socialism and are sincerely delighted at the achievements you have made.

Under the patronage of U.S. imperialism, West Germany has become a hotbed of new war in Europe. Militarism in West Germany is intensifying its armaments and war preparations, making every possible effort to acquire nuclear weapons, with the aim of isolating and swallowing up the German Democratic Republic, thereby posing a grave threat to peace in Europe and throughout the world. The Chinese people have consistently and firmly supported the just struggle of the people of the German Democratic Republic against U.S. imperialism and West German militarism, for the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany and for the safeguarding of their national sovereignty.

We wish the people of the German Democratic Republic new successes in their struggle against imperialism and West German militarism, in their efforts to uphold peace in Europe and the world, and in their socialist construction. We also hope that the friendly cooperative relations between the peoples of China and the German Democratic Republic will continue to grow stronger.

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
October 6, 1965