Article by Chairman of the Central People's Government of China Mao Zedong "The Greatest Friendship". March 11, 1953

Soviet-Chinese relations. 1952-1955: Collection of documents. 2015. pp. 83-86

The greatest genius of our time, the great teacher of the world communist movement, the comrade-in-arms of the immortal Lenin, Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, has gone forever from us.

Both the theoretical and practical activities of Comrade Stalin are an invaluable contribution to our modernity. Tov. Stalin represents a whole new era. Thanks to his activities, the Soviet people and the working people of all countries have changed the entire international situation. This means that the cause of justice, people's democracy and socialism has won on earth on an enormous scale, on the scale of one-third of the world's population, which is over 800 million people. The influence of this victory is spreading day by day to every corner of the world.

The death of Comrade Stalin caused incomparable great sorrow among the working people of the whole world, deeply touched the hearts of honest people all over the world. This shows that the cause of Comrade Stalin and his ideas have taken possession of the broad masses of the people throughout the world and have already become an invincible force. This force leads the already victorious peoples from victory to victory and at the same time will also lead to the fact that all those who are still groaning under the yoke of the old, capitalist world, mired in vices, will be able to launch a bold assault against the enemies of the people.

After Lenin's death, the Soviet people, under the leadership of Comrade Stalin, built a bright, radiant socialist society in the world's first socialist state, which they created together with the great Lenin during the October Revolution.

The victory of socialist construction in the Soviet Union is not only a victory for the Soviet people, but a common victory for the peoples of the whole world. Firstly, this victory by the very reality of life confirmed the absolute correctness of Marxism-Leninism, concretely taught the working people of the whole world how to move forward towards a happy life. Secondly, this victory provided humanity with the opportunity to smash the fascist beast in World War II. It is impossible to imagine that without the victory of socialist construction in the USSR it would have been possible to achieve victory in the war against fascism. The victory of socialist construction in the USSR and the victory in the anti-fascist war are directly related to the fate of mankind, and the glory of these victories rightfully belongs to the great Comrade Stalin.

Tov. Stalin comprehensively, classically developed the Marxist-Leninist theory, opened a new stage in the development of Marxism. Tov. Stalin creatively developed Lenin's theory of the uneven development of capitalism and the theory of the possibility of the victory of socialism in one country; Comrade Stalin made a creative contribution to the theory of the general crisis of the capitalist system, to the theory of the building of communism in the USSR, he discovered and substantiated the basic economic law of modern capitalism and the basic economic law of socialism, and contributed to the theory of revolution in the colonies and semi-colonies. Tov. Stalin also creatively developed Lenin's theory of party building. All this has further united the workers of the whole world and all the oppressed classes and peoples, thanks to which the struggle of the working class and all the oppressed peoples for their emancipation and happiness, and the successes of this struggle, have reached unprecedented proportions.

All the works of Comrade Stalin are an immortal contribution to Marxism. His works “On the Foundations of Leninism”, “A Brief History of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks”, as well as his last great work “The Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR” are an encyclopedia of Marxism-Leninism, a generalization of the experience of the world communist movement over the past hundred years. His speech at the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union is a precious testament for the Communists of all countries of the world.

We, the Chinese Communists, like the Communists of all countries of the world, find the path to our victories in the great works of Comrade Stalin.

After Lenin's death Comrade Stalin was always the central figure of the world communist movement. Rallying around him, we constantly received instructions from him, constantly drew ideological strength from his works. Tov. Stalin had warm feelings for the oppressed peoples of the East. "Do not forget the East" - such was the great call proclaimed by Comrade Stalin after the October Revolution.

It is common knowledge that Comrade Stalin had a deep love for the Chinese people and believed that the forces of the Chinese revolution were incredible. In matters of the Chinese revolution, he displayed the greatest wisdom. Following the teachings of Lenin and Stalin, relying on the support of the great Soviet state and all the revolutionary forces of all countries, the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people achieved a historic victory a few years ago. Today we have lost a great teacher and most sincere friend - Comrade Stalin. This is a big grief.

It is impossible to express in words the grief caused by this grief.

Our task is to turn sorrow into strength. Keeping sacred the memory of our great teacher Stalin, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people, together with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Soviet people, will endlessly strengthen the great friendship overshadowed by the name of Stalin. The Chinese Communists and the Chinese people will study Stalin's teachings with ever greater perseverance, study Soviet science and technology in order to build their own state.

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union is the party nurtured by Lenin and Stalin, the most advanced, most experienced and theoretically best equipped party in the world; this party was and is a model for us; she will also remain a model for us in the future. We deeply believe that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Soviet government, headed by Comrade Malenkov, will certainly be able to continue the work of Comrade Stalin, move forward and brilliantly develop the great cause of communism.

There can be no doubt that the camp of peace, democracy and socialism led by the Soviet Union will become even more united and even more powerful.

For more than thirty years, the teachings of Comrade Stalin and the example of socialist construction in the Soviet Union have contributed to the movement of mankind forward with gigantic strides. At present, the Soviet Union has attained such power, the Chinese people's revolution has won such a great victory, construction in the people's democracies is making such great strides, the movement of the peoples of the world against oppression and aggression has reached such proportions, and our Front of Friendship and Rally has been strengthened to such an extent that with It can be asserted with full justification that we are not afraid of any imperialist aggression. Any imperialist aggression will be crushed by us, all vile provocations will end in failure.

The great friendship between the peoples of China and the Soviet Union is indestructible because it is based on the great principles of internationalism of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin. The friendship between the Chinese and Soviet peoples and the peoples of the People's Democracies, the friendship between all the peace-loving, democratic and just peoples of the whole world is also based on these great principles of internationalism, and therefore it is also indestructible.

It is clear that the forces born of this friendship are limitless, inexhaustible and truly invincible. Let all imperialist aggressors and warmongers tremble in the face of our great friendship!

Long live the teachings of Marx - Engels - Lenin - Stalin! May the unfading name of the great Stalin live for centuries!