"Angolan People's Important Victory"

Happy tidings of victory in the national-liberation struggle have come from the African continent at the beginning of the new year. The Angolan national liberation organizations, after a protracted and arduous armed struggle and united as one, have finally signed an agreement with the Portuguese Government recognizing the Angolan people's right to national independence. Under the agreement, a presidential council and a transitional government will be established in Angola, and independence will be proclaimed on November 11 this year. This is an important victory for the Angolan people in their fight against imperialism and colonialism and for national independence, another new achievement in the African national-liberation cause following the proclamation of independence of Guinea-Bissau and the attainment of the right to independence by Mozambique. On this, we extend our warm congratulations. Since the invasion by the Portuguese colonialists in the late 15th century, the history of Angola has been one of bloody colonial domination and the valiant struggle of the Angolan people. In those long dark years, the Angolan people's fine sons and daughters indomitably advanced wave upon wave. The Angolan people launched a large-scale armed struggle during the surging tide of the African national-liberation movement in 1961. In the past 14 years, they have fought heroically and grown strong in battle, finally winning the right to national independence. This victory is a great encouragement to the fighting people of Zimbabwe, Namibia and Azania, and a heavy blow to imperialism, colonialism and racism! The new success of the Angolan national-liberation struggle demonstrates the might of the African people fighting in unity. In recent months, with the support of the Organization of African Unity and some African countries, the Angolan liberation organizations, overcoming difficulties and getting united, held negotiations with the Portuguese Government achieved success. Based on the principle of national independence, the unity of the Angolan liberation organizations is an important guarantee for implementing the agreement and winning independence by the Angolan people in the days to come. The signal victory of the Angolan people has propelled the development of the situation in southern Africa in a direction more favourable to the African people. In the face of the great African  people who are rapidly awakening, the Vorster and Smith racist regimes in southern Africa have become panic-stricken. Compelled by the circumstances, they tried their utmost to create an atmosphere of "detente" in a last-ditch struggle. The two superpowers, each with its own axe to grind, have been manoeuvring feverishly. One superpower openly declared its continued support for the racist regimes, while the other energetically spread the lie about "détente" with a view to sabotaging the African people's unity and sapping their fighting will. But countries want independence, nations want liberation, and the people want revolution--this is an irresistible historical trend. The Dar-es Salaam Declaration adopted by the 24th Session of the Liberation Committee of the Organization of African Unity has called on the African people to continue their advance towards the liberation of all Africa. the people of southern Africa will surely win greater victories in their national-liberation struggles. The Chinese people have always deeply sympathized with and firmly supported the Angolan and other African peoples' just struggle. Although the Angolan people have won important victory in their struggle for national independence, they have yet to make arduous efforts before the agreement can be implemented. The struggle remains long and tortuous. But we are deeply convinced that so long as they strengthen unity, heighten vigilance, persist in struggle and work unremittingly, the Angolan people will certainly achieve their lofty aim of national independence."