On October 15, 1961, Zhou Enlai attended the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of Soviet Union (CPSU), which lasted until October 24, as the head of the delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). During the congress, the uninvited Albanian Labor Party was publicly attacked and Stalin was once again criticized.

Mao Zedong (right) and Liu Shaoqi welcoming Zhou Enlai (left) on his arrival at the airport in Beijing after attending the 22nd Congress of CPSU.

Under these circumstances, Zhou made a speech on October 19, pointing out that the international conferences of all Communist parties and workers’ parties convened in 1957 and 1960 had great historical significance for the international Communist movement. The 1957 Declaration and the 1960 Statement reflected the common program of all Communist parties and workers' parties. In the declaration and the statement, it was pointed out that the solidarity of the socialist camp and the united actions of the international Communist movement gave assurances and guarantees for the success of people all over the world in their struggle for world peace, national liberation and democratic and socialist construction. It was the obligation of all Communists to safeguard this great solidarity.

In his speech, Zhou stressed that when a dispute unfortunately occurred between fraternal parties, all the parties involved must address the problem patiently while embracing the principle of reaching unanimity through consultation. Any unfair and one-sided criticism toward any fraternal party would be no good to the solidarity of the socialist camp and the settlement of the dispute.

In the end, Zhou, on behalf of the CPC, expressed his sincere hope that all Communist parties and worker's parties involved in any form of disputes remain united under the leadership of Marxist-Leninist theory and on the basis of paying mutual respect and holding equal status.

(China.org.cn, 17thcongress.org.cn October 15, 2007)