On November 22, 2011, Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a congratulatory message to his Lebanese counterpart Suleiman on the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Lebanon.

President Hu said in his message that the Chinese side was pleased to see in recent years, the overall political situation in Lebanon has maintained stability, economic reconstruction has been carried out step by step and Lebanon has been playing a positive role in international and regional affairs. China-Lebanon exchanges and cooperation in the political, economic, trade, cultural, tourism and military areas have developed continuously. China firmly supports Lebanon’s unremitting efforts to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintain stability, develop economy and work for national reconciliation, and actively participates in UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon. Hu said he would like to make joint efforts with President Suleiman to continuously consolidate the traditional friendship and push bilateral friendly cooperative relations for further development.