Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance

The Treaty of Friendship and Alliance (Traditional Chinese: 中蘇友好同盟條約; Russian: Договор о дружбе и союзе между СССР и Китайской Республикой) was a treaty signed by the National Government of the Republic of China and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on 14 August 1945, at the time of Japan's surrender. Soviet and Mongolian troops then occupied Inner Mongolia and Manchuria, after they had seized it from the Japanese during World War II.

During the preceding Sino-Soviet negotiations, even though without final consensus on a formal treaty, the Soviets had already launched Soviet invasion of Manchuria on August 9 1945, and, one week later, seized the Allies-recognized Chinese territory of Manchuria and Inner Mongolia (then known as Manchukuo and Mengjiang) from the Japanese Empire.

On 14 August 1945, Republic of China's Foreign Minister Wang Shijie and Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov signed the treaty in Moscow. In a declaration made in connection with the treaty, China accepted the independence of Outer Mongolia within its previous borders and disavowed any Pan-Mongolist intentions of the occupiers if a referendum on the issue was held. Also, the Soviet Union ceased aiding the Chinese Communist Party and the Ili National Army, which were rebelling in Xinjiang. Both nations also agreed upon joint control of the Chinese Eastern Railway and to facilitate its eventual return to full Chinese sovereignty.

The attached diplomatic notes contained two main provisions: first, that the Soviet army would withdraw completely from Manchuria within three months of signing the treaty; and second, that "in view of the Outer Mongolian people's repeated expressions of their desire for independence, the Republic of China government agrees to hold a referendum to determine Outer Mongolia's independence after Japan's defeat," with no specified time limit. It was also agreed that after the Soviet Union deploys troops to defeat Japan, provided that the Soviet Union respects the Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity of Manchuria and does not interfere in Xinjiang's internal affairs, the outcome of a fair referendum shall decide whether on China's part to recognize the Mongolian People's Republic. On October 20, 1945, Outer Mongolia held a referendum in which 97% of the citizens voted in favor of the independent sovereignty of the Mongolian People's Republic.

However, in the years followed China noticed that the Soviet Union secretly and continuously supported the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Liberation Army, which opposed the ruling Kuomintang and the government of the Republic of China. The relation collapsed after the Chinese Communist Party had proclaimed the People's Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949, which was recognized by the Soviet Union. The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 505 on 1 February 1952, which confirmed that the Soviet Union had violated the terms of the treaty by assisting the Chinese Communist Party during the Chinese Civil War.

Documents from the Republic of China regard it as an unequal treaty. On 24 February 1953, the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China which retreated to Taiwan, voted to officially terminate its commitments to the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance as well and rescinded its recognition of the independence of the Mongolian People's Republic.

After the proclamation of the People's Republic of China on the Communist mainland, in 1950 the Soviet Union signed a new treaty with Communist China, the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance, which replaced this treaty, as decleared in the new treaty.