General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao has sent a congratulatory message to Russia's outgoing President Vladimir Putin for his election as chairman of the ruling United Russia party. The message reads as follows:

Your Excellency Chairman Vladimir Putin of the United Russia Party,

On the occasion of the successful convening of the 9th congress of the United Russia party and Your Excellency's election as the party's chairman, I would like to express my sincere congratulations and best wishes to you on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and in my own name. I am convinced that under your leadership the United Russia party will be able to play a bigger role in the lofty cause of achieving prosperity in Russia.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has maintained close friendly ties of cooperation with the United Russia party. The exchanges between the two parties have strengthened mutual understanding and trust and enriched the meaning of strategic cooperative partnership between China and Russia over the past years. The CPC is willing to further consolidate and deepen the friendly ties of cooperation with the United Russia party and to boost China-Russia relations for deep and all-round development on the basis of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

May the Russian Federation enjoy prosperity and may her people enjoy well-being.

May the friendly cooperative relations between the two parties and the two countries be consolidated and strengthened continuously.

Hu Jintao

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee

Beijing, April 16, 2008