In February 1958, Premier Zhou Enlai led a Chinese delegation to visit the socialist brotherly country of Korea. During this visit, the two countries not only reached an agreement on the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, but Premier Zhou also deeply felt the deep friendship of the Korean people for New China and themselves, leaving unforgettable memories...
Premier Zhou's first visit to the DPRK was warmly welcomed by the people
In November 1957, Prime Minister Kim Il Sung, the supreme leader of North Korea, sent a letter to Premier Zhou Enlai, inviting the Chinese government to send a delegation to visit North Korea. Kim Il Sung specially proposed that he hoped that Premier Zhou would personally lead the delegation to come.
After receiving the invitation, Zhou Enlai wrote back to Kim Il Sung, expressing his gratitude and happily accepting it. On February 14, 1958, Premier Zhou led a Chinese delegation to fly to North Korea by special plane.
Kim Il Sung and other North Korean leaders personally went to the Pyongyang airport to greet them. After leaving the airport, Zhou Enlai, accompanied by Kim Il Sung, took an open-top car to the hotel.
At this time, countless local North Koreans gathered on both sides of the road to warmly welcome Zhou Enlai and other Chinese guests. From young women in long colorful dresses, to white-haired old men, to North Korea's own heroes, they constantly squeezed out of the crowd to present flowers to Zhou Enlai.
Zhou Enlai
Such a grand scene greatly shocked Premier Zhou and others. He and Kim Il Sung stood side by side in the car, waving to the crowd on both sides of the road. Suddenly, cheers echoed over Pyongyang.
In the evening, at the Pyongyang National Arts Theater, representatives of local people from all walks of life gathered here to welcome Premier Zhou and the Chinese delegation.
At the rally, Kim Il Sung and Zhou Enlai delivered enthusiastic speeches one after another. After that, a grand cabaret party was held here. North Korean performers sang and danced, showing the artistic characteristics of their own nation to the fullest.
During this visit, Zhou Enlai led a delegation to visit many places in the DPRK. Accompanied by Kim Il Sung, they not only visited the Pyongyang Textile Factory and the Korean Motherland Liberation War Memorial, but also traveled to Hamhung, Wonsan, Pyongannam Province, and South Hwanghae Province.
Everywhere the Chinese delegation went, it was warmly welcomed by the Korean people. These simple local people sang and danced, and the scene was very warm.
After a long time, even Zhou Enlai and the other comrades in the delegation walked into the middle of the crowd and jumped up with everyone.
When Premier Zhou and his party came to the Yellow Sea Iron Works in South Hwanghae Province, an old mother appeared in the welcome group. She grabbed Zhou Enlai's hand and presented a bag of things wrapped in red silk to the Chinese premier.
Inside the red silk, there is a silver bowl and a pair of silver chopsticks. It turned out that this old North Korean man had previously rescued the wounded of the Chinese Volunteer Army in the war. When she heard that Premier Zhou was coming to the Yellow Sea Iron Works, she came here from a distant hometown to express her welcome and respect to him.
During his visits to various parts of the DPRK, Premier Zhou had cordial and serious talks with local workers and members of agricultural cooperatives. He attached great importance to learning from the Korean people, especially their tenacious and indomitable spirit of struggle.
Zhou Enlai and Kim Il Sung
Xingnan Fertilizer Factory is located in Xianxing, where Zhou Enlai and his party stayed for more than two hours and visited various workshops. Not only that, Zhou Enlai also talked with a senior foreman here to understand the situation of the other party's work here. In his speech at the fertilizer plant, Zhou Enlai praised the rapid recovery of production at the plant and its great support for the development of North Korea's agriculture.
During a visit to the Shangyang Agricultural Production Cooperative in Shun'an County, South Pyongan Province, Zhou Enlai told the North Korean members: "We must introduce your good experience to the Chinese people. When visiting the Yellow Sea Iron Works, Zhou En: "You fought an arduous struggle to protect the factory during the arduous war. The restoration and construction work you are carrying out after the war now shows the strong will of the working class not to fear any difficulties and the firm determination to build socialism. This is worth learning from the Chinese working class. ”
It was decided to withdraw the volunteers from Korea
Zhou Enlai's current visit to the DPRK had an important agenda -- consultations with the DPRK on the withdrawal of the Chinese Volunteer Army from the DPRK.
By this time, nearly eight years had passed since the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. Although the parties entered into an armistice as early as July 1953, both the United Nations Army, which is mainly composed of American troops, and the Chinese Volunteer Army, have been stationed on the Korean Peninsula for several years. The clouds of war have not yet completely dissipated.
In November 1957, Chairman Mao and Kim Il Sung spoke in Moscow about the withdrawal of the Chinese Volunteer Army. On February 5, 1958, the North Korean government issued a statement advocating the withdrawal of all foreign troops on the Korean Peninsula in order to achieve peaceful reunification. Just two days later, the new Chinese government also issued a statement expressing its approval and support for the DPRK's proposal.
Chairman Mao and Kim Il Sung
Therefore, when the Chinese delegation arrived in Pyongyang on February 14, Premier Zhou made it clear in his airport speech that China fully supported the relevant proposals of the North Korean government and would make efforts to implement them.
On the afternoon of 15 February, in a sincere and friendly atmosphere, representatives of the Chinese and DPRK governments held talks. On many important issues, both Governments have reached complete agreement. The withdrawal of the Chinese Volunteer Army from Korea was also agreed.
So, on the morning of February 19, a joint statement was signed. In a statement, the Chinese government said that the Chinese Volunteer Army would withdraw from Korea in batches by the end of 1958. The first of these will be withdrawn by April 30.
The joint statement noted that now is the time to test the United States and other countries participating in the United Nations military. If they are sincere about the peaceful settlement of the Korean issue, they should also withdraw all their troops from the Korean Peninsula.
On February 19, Zhou Enlai was invited to speak at the second session of the Second Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea. In his speech, the Chinese premier stressed that this decision between China and the DPRK will not only further develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, but also help to promote the easing of tensions in the Far East and the world.
Zhou Enlai added: "The United States now faces an inescapable obligation to withdraw its troops, as well as other foreign troops under its unified command, from the Korean Peninsula." ”
Premier Zhou's speech made the audience very excited, and they continued to give warm applause.
Zhou Enlai
On the evening of February 16, Zhou Enlai and his party arrived at the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. The next morning, he, Chen Yi, Zhang Wentian, and Su Yu met with representatives of volunteer officers.
After Premier Zhou informed them of the withdrawal of the volunteer army, the other side expressed its support. Then, braving the snow and wind, Zhou Enlai went to the Volunteer Martyrs' Cemetery to lay wreaths to the volunteer soldiers who died in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
On the afternoon of this day, the Chinese People's Volunteers held a welcome meeting for the Chinese delegation. At the meeting, Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi, Zhang Wentian, and Su Yu successively delivered speeches. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the four expressed cordial condolences to the Chinese Volunteers, praised them for fulfilling their glorious mission of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea, and called on them to learn from the Korean People's Army and the Korean people with an open mind.
On the evening of February 20, at the Chinese Embassy in the DPRK, Ambassador Qiao Xiaoguang held a banquet to entertain people from all walks of life. Kim Il Sung and Zhou Enlai attended the banquet and delivered speeches, wishing the friendship between China and the DPRK eternal.
On February 21, the Chinese delegation ended its visit to North Korea and left Pyongyang to return home. In the station square, North Koreans waved bunting flags and bouquets of flowers and gave an earth-shattering cheer. After Zhou Enlai and the others walked to the platform, they shook hands with Kim Il Sung and other North Korean leaders to bid farewell.
So far, the visit has been a complete success.
The volunteer army returned to China in triumph Zhou Enlai drank freely and got drunk
After the Chinese delegation left the DPRK, the DPRK Government decided to organize a farewell party throughout the country to the Chinese Committee of the People's Volunteer Army and organize the farewell work.
During the withdrawal of the Chinese Volunteer Army, North Korean soldiers and civilians carried out a large number of farewell activities. Many party and government delegations went deep into the various units of the Volunteer Army to offer condolences and condolences. More than 300 farewell groups organized by the Farewell Committee went to various garrisons of the Volunteer Army to carry out various farewell activities.
Volunteers
According to statistics, during the withdrawal of the volunteer army, the DPRK side donated more than 500 pennants and hundreds of thousands of pieces of food, handicrafts and souvenirs.
The Volunteer Army, on the other hand, also designated February of that year as the "Sino-DPRK Friendship Month" and carried out various friendly activities. The vast number of officers and men have helped the Korean people in production, planting trees, repairing canals, paving roads, cleaning courtyards, repairing agricultural tools, and other labor. The volunteer troops organized 960 delegations to bid farewell to all walks of life in Korea. The volunteer soldiers also donated more than 200,000 souvenirs to the Korean people.
When the first returning troops of the Chinese Volunteer Army came to the railway station, the red flag was displayed here and the gongs and drums were crowded. North Koreans from all over the country dressed in festive costumes and sang and danced to bid farewell.
After the grand farewell meeting, the officers and men of the volunteer army and the farewell crowd danced together with the song and dance, and the scene was very harmonious and harmonious. Not only that, but the officers and men each wore a large red flower on their chests. The farewell crowd and the warriors gathered together, shaking hands and hugging, and the water and milk blended together. Many North Korean women also tied their elaborate purses to the belts of volunteer soldiers.
On October 23, Yang Yong, commander of the Chinese Volunteer Army, and Wang Ping, political commissar, held a farewell banquet in Pyongyang. Kim Il Sung attended the banquet and received the volunteer generals. On the 24th, Kim Il Sung held a banquet to bid farewell to the officers and men of the Volunteer Army Headquarters who were about to return to China.
On the 25th, 300,000 Pyongyang residents warmly bid farewell to the volunteer army, and the scene was exciting. When they were about to withdraw from Korea in their entirety, the Volunteers handed over their barracks, camp implements, and various materials and equipment to the Korean People's Army free of charge.
On the evening of October 29, Premier Zhou personally presided over a banquet at the Beijing Hotel to welcome all members of the volunteer delegation returning from japan in triumph.
On this day, Zhou Enlai was very excited and excited. When his secretary poured him a good drink, Premier Zhou unexpectedly poured it out.
Just when everyone at the scene was unclear, the prime minister loudly instructed the secretary: "Today I am very happy. Give me a change of wine. ”
Zhou Enlai
It turned out that the "wine" that the secretary had just poured was not real wine, but most likely just water, in order not to let the prime minister get drunk. But at this time, Zhou Enlai, who was extremely interested, would take the initiative to ask for real wine.
Just like that, a glass of Moutai wine was poured. Premier Zhou smiled and said, "I don't drink your self-produced one, I drink Guizhou Maotai!" ”
After seeing this scene, the officers and men of the volunteer army at the scene cheered one after another, and everyone warmly applauded, and they were deeply honored for Premier Zhou to "move with sincerity."
Therefore, Zhou Enlai and the vast number of officers and soldiers pushed the cups and changed the cups one after another, and drank happily. After fighting in Korea for many years, the officers and soldiers have already cultivated a good amount of alcohol. In particular, Yang Yong and Wang Ping not only had high official positions, but also drank amazingly.
Soon after, everyone at the scene was drunk and red-faced, and the atmosphere reached a climax.
At this time, Premier Zhou was also becoming more and more excited and talking more and more. Many people understand that the prime minister is already drunk. But seeing that he was so happy, everyone did not dare to interfere, for fear of ruining the mood of the prime minister.
Finally, a staff member knocked on the side and whispered to the volunteer representatives: "Everyone has drunk a lot, it's time to end." Let's dance. ”
Zhou Enlai accepted the suggestion: "Well, now go dance." He waved to the crowd and beckoned everyone to go dancing. At this time, the prime minister was already a little unstable.
Realizing that he was drunk, Zhou Enlai tried to maintain his usual gentle demeanor, but he was unable to do so. Despite this, he came to the dance floor unsteadily.
As the music began, the crowd began to dance. Premier Zhou adjusted his state and began to dance. Some female soldiers of the Volunteer Army Cultural and Labor Corps at the scene followed Premier Zhou one after another, watching him dance, while watching him not fall, while thinking that they would have the opportunity to dance with the premier.
Fortunately, although Zhou Enlai was unstable, he jumped twice in a row and insisted on not falling. Even though he was drunk, he was polite to his dance partner. At the end of the song, the prime minister did not forget to nod to them.
Zhou Enlai
After two dances, Zhou Enlai walked to the sidelines and sat down to rest. Unexpectedly, as soon as he sat down, the wine seemed to pour up from his body again, and the prime minister's eyes became hazy, his eyes slowly closed, and his body gradually tilted to the side. Soon, he was lying down in his chair.
After the crowd saw this scene, they quickly carried Premier Zhou and his chair to the lounge...
At this banquet to welcome the return of the volunteer soldiers, Zhou Enlai had a cup with almost all the volunteer representatives. After making everyone happy, he himself was drunk.
After this drunkenness, Premier Zhou wrote an inspection to Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee to examine himself for affecting his work because of his drunkenness. Chairman Mao criticized this.
However, in the eyes of the volunteer soldiers attending the banquet, the prime minister was drunk this time, but let everyone think that he was very kind and lovely. Such a true disposition is deeply loved by the vast number of officers and men.
In 1970, Zhou Enlai visited the DPRK and made the radish a state gift
On April 6, 1970, Premier Zhou set foot on Korean soil again after a few years. This time, among the gifts he sent to the brotherly country was a kilogram of small shawo village green radish seeds.
Many people may ask: How did this seemingly ordinary radish seed become a national gift? A big country, will it be a bit difficult to send this?
Zhou Enlai and Kim Il Sung
In fact, there are profound reasons behind sending turnips to the DPRK, and they have a close relationship with the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
During the war, the positions of the Chinese and Korean armies were often attacked and bombed by the United Nations army. In this case, the supply of materials on the front line becomes very difficult. In addition to guns and ammunition, what the vast number of officers and men want most is the water they use to drink.
In that environment, water can only be carried in gasoline barrels and carried on the back of the shoulders. However, in the treacherous battlefield, if you are not careful, you will be shot through by bullets and your previous achievements will be abandoned.
Later, the frontline fighters found that radishes were rich in water and were an excellent choice for quenching thirst. As a result, the country began to purchase a large number of green radish in Tianjin to support the Chinese Volunteer Army and the Korean People's Army. Tianjin's green radishes also made special contributions to the victory of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
During his visit to the DPRK, Premier Zhou gave Chairman Kim Il Sung the best quality of The Sweet Potato turnips in Tianjin as a state gift, precisely to express the precious friendship between China and the DPRK forged with blood. Later, this incident became a good story in the history of exchanges between China and North Korea.