In the 1950s, China faced a difficult war – to resist US aggression and aid Korea. In order to support the North Korean compatriots, China sent volunteers to fight fiercely with the United States and other joint teams. In this war, China's main ally was the Soviet Union, which provided China with a large amount of equipment to help China resist the attack of the American army. However, the equipment was not free, but paid, that is, China needed to pay back to the USSR.
At that time, New China had just been founded, the economy was difficult, the national defense was backward, and most of the equipment of the PLA was captured from the Kuomintang or eliminated by the Soviet Union in World War II. These equipment cannot match the modernization of the US military**. Therefore, China needed to buy more advanced equipment from the Soviet Union, such as tanks, airplanes, rocket artillery, etc. Although the Soviet Union gave China a very low **, it was also a big burden for China at that time. According to statistics, during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, China borrowed a total of 123.5 billion rubles, equivalent to 3$100 million.
China's debt is not a one-time debt, but an installment. Before the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the prime minister had repeatedly discussed the issue of military assistance with Soviet leaders. In the end, Stalin agreed to pay half price for China's military orders, with the other half to be borne by the Soviet Union. This is known as "half-price aid". During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, with the development of the war, China added a batch of orders to the Soviet Union to meet the needs of the front. After the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, in order to strengthen its own national defense construction, China borrowed from the Soviet Union to purchase a batch of equipment, including firearms, artillery, ammunition, automobiles, and so on. In addition, China imported Soviet aircraft technology and production lines, also in the form of loans.
As a result, China's debt accumulated more and more, and by 1960, it had reached 17500 million rubles, equivalent to 4$400 million. This was a heavy burden for China at that time. How can China pay back so much money? At that time, China's currency was not recognized by the international market, so it could not be used to pay off debts. The Soviet Union was also reluctant to accept China's currency, but demanded that China use its natural resources to pay off its debts. As a result, China began to send a large number of mineral resources to the Soviet Union, such as iron ore, copper ore, manganese ore, tungsten ore, etc. These resources are very valuable to China and are the wealth of the country. However, in order to pay off its debts, China had to cut its flesh.
China's mining technology and conditions are very backward, and sometimes it is impossible to deliver orders on time, which will be looked down upon and ridiculed by the Soviets. The Chinese people are also very reluctant, but for the sake of the country's credibility, they still grit their teeth and insist. China has always been a country that stresses integrity, and even in the most difficult times, it will not fail to pay its debts. Even after the domestic economic development was in difficulty, it did not stop paying debts. The Chinese, with their own blood and sweat, paid off the debts of the USSR bit by bit.
In 1960, there was a rift in Sino-Soviet relations, and the Soviet Union's policy towards China became more and more harsh, even withdrawing experts from China and interrupting technical cooperation. ** The chairman saw the true face of the USSR and decided to pay off all the debts of the USSR within five years in order to get rid of Soviet control. As a result, the people of the whole country have become more frugal, and in addition to repaying debts with mineral resources, they have also repaid debts with pork, fruits, and other agricultural and sideline products. These materials were also very valuable to the Chinese people at that time and were necessities of life. However, for the sake of the dignity of the country, the Chinese people did not hesitate to sacrifice their own interests and give the best to the Soviet Union.
As a result, it took China more than four years to pay off the debts of the USSR ahead of schedule. This took the Soviets by surprise, they thought that China would default on its debts, but they did not expect China to pay them off so quickly. This also made the Soviets admire the spirit of China, and they had to admit that China was a country with backbone and would not easily succumb to any pressure.
In 1964, China paid off the debts of the Soviet Union and became a country with no foreign debt. This is a historic turning point and an important milestone for China. China was finally able to break free from the influence of the Soviet Union and devote itself to nation-building. China has also proved its ability and credibility to the world, laying a solid foundation for future diplomacy.
Some people say that China's mobilization of the people of the whole country to repay debts at that time was an unnecessary sacrifice, a kind of self-deprivation, and a wrong decision. However, we might as well look at it from another angle, and these ordeals also have positive implications for China.
First of all, the equipment that the USSR paid for assistance, although it was valuable, was also valuable. They have greatly improved China's national defense level, enabled China to win victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, safeguarded peace on the Korean Peninsula, and protected China's security. These equipment also provide the basis for China's subsequent independent construction of a national defense system, from which Chinese technical experts can learn and learn from them to develop more advanced **, such as atomic bombs, missiles, satellites, etc.
Secondly, the process of paid assistance from the Soviet Union, although it was arduous, was also tempered. It tempered the will and character of the Chinese people, cultivated the spirit of thrift and struggle of the Chinese people, and demonstrated the integrity and backbone of the Chinese people. These spirits are the precious wealth of the Chinese people, the source of strength of the Chinese people, and the national pride of the Chinese people. These spirits have also provided impetus and confidence for China's follow-up economic construction and social development, enabling China to rise up in difficulties, grow in challenges, and break through crises.
In short, the paid assistance of the Soviet Union was both an ordeal and a motivation for China. It has brought both a burden and a benefit to China. It has brought both losses and gains to China. It is not only a pain for China, but also a glory for China. It is an important chapter in Chinese history and an unforgettable memory of the people of Chinese. It is a complex relationship between China and the Soviet Union, and it is also an exchange and interaction between China and the world. It is China's past and China's future.