Pyongyang
Comrade Kim Il Sung, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and Premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea,
Comrade Choe Yong Gon, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea:

On the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, we, on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese Government, and the Chinese people, extend our warmest congratulations to the Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean Government, and the fraternal Korean people.

Over the past 23 years, the Korean people, under the wise leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by Comrade Kim Il Sung, have held high the banner of anti-imperialist revolution and traversed a glorious path. The heroic Korean people resisted the war of aggression launched by U.S. imperialism, defeated the U.S. aggressors, and achieved a great victory. In the cause of socialist revolution and socialist construction, the Korean people, through self-reliance and arduous struggle, have attained brilliant accomplishments. Now, the Korean people are courageously advancing to fulfill the various combat tasks set forth by the Fifth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. The Chinese people are elated and inspired by the tremendous achievements of the Korean people and sincerely wish the fraternal Korean people new and even greater victories in their future revolutionary struggles.

At present, the development of the international situation is increasingly favorable to the peoples of all countries and unfavorable to U.S. imperialism and all its lackeys. In order to extricate itself from its predicament at home and abroad, U.S. imperialism is intensifying its collusion with Japanese militarism, directing the spearhead of aggression against the peoples of Asia. However, in the face of the united strength of the Korean people, the Chinese people, the peoples of the three Indochinese countries, and the peoples of all Asian countries, all the aggressive schemes of the U.S. and Japanese reactionaries are bound to fail.

U.S. imperialism still occupies South Korea to this day and, in collusion with Japanese militarism, incessantly carries out military provocations and war threats against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Korean people have waged an unremitting struggle to oppose the aggression of the U.S. and Japanese reactionaries and to achieve the peaceful reunification of their fatherland. The Chinese people firmly support the just struggle of the Korean people and are convinced that the national aspiration of the 40 million Korean people for the reunification of their fatherland will surely be realized.

The peoples of China and Korea share a profound militant friendship. This friendship of ours is founded on the principles of Marxism-Leninism and proletarian internationalism, cemented in blood during the protracted struggle against our common enemies, and cannot be broken by any force. In the future common struggle against U.S. imperialism and Japanese militarism, the Chinese people will forever unite with the fraternal Korean people, fighting shoulder to shoulder until complete victory is achieved.

Long live the militant friendship and great unity of the peoples of China and Korea!

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

Lin Biao
Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

Zhou Enlai
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

September 8, 1971, Beijing