Telegram of Mao Zedong, et al., Congratulating the 22nd Anniversary of the Founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
(September 1, 1967)

Hanoi

To Comrade Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Workers' Party and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam,
To Comrade Trường Chinh, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam,
To Comrade Phạm Văn Đồng, Premier of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam:

On the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, we, on behalf of the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China, and the Government of the People's Republic of China, extend our warmest congratulations to the Vietnamese people, the Vietnam Workers' Party, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Under the wise leadership of the Vietnam Workers' Party headed by Chairman Ho Chi Minh, the heroic Vietnamese people have annihilated a large number of the enemy's effectives in the war of resistance against U.S. aggression and for national salvation, and have achieved one brilliant victory after another. The heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people has greatly deflated the arrogance of U.S. imperialism, modern revisionism, and reactionaries of all countries, and greatly enhanced the morale of the revolutionary people of the world. The Chinese people warmly congratulate the fraternal Vietnamese people on the great victories they have achieved.

U.S. imperialism has suffered a disastrous defeat in Vietnam precisely because it is waging a naked war of aggression; it is facing a people's war waged by the Vietnamese people for national liberation. The Vietnamese people, firm and unyielding, fighting bravely, have brought into full play the power of people's war, plunging the U.S. aggressors into utter disaster and creating a brilliant example since World War II of a single country resisting and defeating the aggression of U.S. imperialism. The victory of the Vietnamese people proves to the whole world that U.S. imperialism, this paper tiger that looks strong but is weak, can be completely defeated.

U.S. imperialism has already sunk into the vast ocean of the people's war in Vietnam. However, it still wants to make a final death-bed struggle. At present, U.S. imperialism is stepping up its expansion of the war of aggression against Vietnam and continuing to play with peace talk schemes, attempting to save itself from defeat. Soviet modern revisionism is also stepping up its collusion with U.S. imperialism, trying to undermine the Vietnamese people's war of resistance against U.S. aggression and for national salvation. However, the heroic Vietnamese people cannot be intimidated or deceived. As Chairman Ho Chi Minh pointed out, the Vietnamese people "unite as one, fear no hardships or sacrifices, and are determined to fight to complete victory." We firmly believe that the Vietnamese people will smash all the enemy's conspiracies and tricks, overcome all kinds of difficulties, and carry the war of resistance against U.S. aggression and for national salvation through to the end. Final victory will surely belong to the Vietnamese people who dare to struggle and dare to win.

The Chinese people have always regarded the struggle of the Vietnamese people as their own struggle and are determined to spare no national sacrifice to give all-out support to the Vietnamese people's war of resistance against U.S. aggression and for national salvation. The 700 million Chinese people, tempered by the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, are even stronger and have even greater strength to support the fraternal Vietnamese people. The Chinese people are determined to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Vietnamese people to thoroughly defeat the U.S. aggressors.

Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Lin Biao, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Zhou Enlai, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

September 1, 1967