On October 8, 1950, Mao Zedong ordered the formation of the Chinese People's Volunteers to aid Korea. Upon the request of the Korean Workers' Party and government, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government surmounted difficulties and made the momentous decision to resist US aggression and aid Korea and safeguard the homeland.

At the beginning of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), Mao Zedong in Zhongnanhai, Beijing.

In June 1950, the Korean Civil War broke out. On the 26th, the American government dispatched troops to Korea in blatant interference with the Korean affair. It also sent the Seventh Fleet into the Taiwan Straits, which encroached on China's sovereignty. Later, the so-called "UN forces" sent by America and several other counties further expanded the war.     

The Chinese government expressed strong protest against the United States' invasion of the territory of Korea and China. Mao Zedong stated in a speech: "The affairs of each country in the world should be administered by the people of that particular country, and the affairs of Asia should be administered by the Asian people and not by the United States."
 
The US forces landed in the Korean city of Incheon on September 15 and blocked the route of retreat of the forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The invaders pressed on towards the north of Korea and the war was extended to China's northeastern border.

The then Chinese Cabinet Premier and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai sternly warned: "The Chinese people love peace. But in order to safeguard peace, they never have feared nor will they fear to resist the aggressive wars."

The US troops underestimated the determination and strength of the Chinese people. Crossing the 38th parallel, they invaded the northern part of Korea and marched towards the Sino-Korean border. At the critical moment, the Korean Workers' Party and government appealed to the Chinese government for military assistance.

Could new China, having operated for only a year, really take on the world's most powerful country, the United States? The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) presided over by Mao Zedong held several Political Bureau meetings to comprehensively weigh up the domestic and international situations. They not only fully viewed the difficulties ahead but also conducted several in-depth analyses as to the necessity and likelihood of committing troops to the Korean theater. The Central Committee of the CPC finally made the strategic decision: Resist the US aggression and aid Korea to defend the motherland.

On October 8, the chairman of the Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Commission, Mao Zedong, gave the order to change the Northeast Frontier Force into the Chinese People's Volunteers. General Peng Dehuai was named as the commander and political commissar of the Chinese People's Volunteers and would wait to fight the war upon order.

On October 8, 1950, the chairman of the Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Commission Mao Zedong declared the order to form the Chinese People's Volunteers.

Eleven days later, the Chinese People's Volunteers crossed the Yalu River and began to fight in Korea. During the next three years, the Chinese People's Volunteers worked along with the Korean People's Army side by side, defying the strong enemy, making great sacrifices, and finally driving the enemy back to the 38th Parallel where they were forced to sign the armistice agreement.

(China.org.cn, 17thcongress.org.cn October 8, 2007)