Published : 2025-12-16

On 16 December 1949, the then Chinese leader Mao Zedong (毛澤東) arrived in the Soviet Union for a visit, which was the first time a Chinese state leader had travelled abroad after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.

Taking place less than three months after the founding of the PRC, the Chinese leader made his trip to exchange views on the international situation with the Soviet leaders, hoping to abolish the old treaty and sign a new Sino-Soviet treaty, while also participating in the celebrations for Stalin's 70th birthday.

According to analysis by Jiang Jiannong, a former researcher at the Party History Research Centre of the CPC Central Committee, re-signing the Sino-Soviet treaty of friendship with the Soviet government was the most important task of Mao's visit.

Previously, in August 1945, the Soviet Union had signed the "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance" with the Nationalist Government, the contents of which seriously harmed China's sovereignty and interests.

Mao Zedong stayed in the Soviet Union for over two months, and representatives from China and the Soviet Union eventually signed the "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance" and related agreements in Moscow.

To distinguish it from the old treaty, the words "Mutual Assistance" were specifically added to the new treaty's title.

The signing of the "Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance" was a major diplomatic achievement for the PRC. It plays an important role in maintaining world peace, promoting the development of friendly Sino-Soviet relations, and restoring the economic construction of the PRC.