Published : 2025-02-07
On February 7, 1959, the then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai (周恩來) went to Moscow and signed an economic cooperation agreement with the then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev.
According to the agreement, the two sides agreed to build 78 large enterprises and power plants in China between 1959 and 1967, in the fields of metallurgy, chemicals, coal, petroleum, and machinery manufacturing.
According to the agreement, the Soviet side would carry out research and related design work using the latest technology and supply the necessary equipment, instruments, and some specialised materials.
It would also send Soviet experts to provide technical support for the construction, installation, and adjustment of enterprises; the Soviet Union would also accept Chinese experts and workers to local enterprises to learn production technology.
Throughout the agreement, the total value of the equipment, design, and various technical assistance provided by the Soviet Union to China was approximately 5 billion rubles, while China would supply goods to the Soviet Union as payment.
Throughout the negotiation process, Zhou Enlai's clear directives on important policies and detailed explanations of specific work methods were key to the conclusion of this agreement.
