Foreign state leaders send congratulations

Congratulations from foreign leaders have poured in after Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was elected president of the People's Republic of China on Friday at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature.

In a congratulatory message sent to Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "the decision by the National People's Congress is a recognition of your services as head of state and of the broad support for the course you have been pursuing to ensure China's further socioeconomic development and protect the nation's interests in the international arena".

Putin noted that Russia highly appreciates Xi's personal contribution to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries, saying "I am confident that working together, we will ensure the further growth of fruitful Russian-Chinese cooperation in various fields".

The Russian president wished his Chinese counterpart continued success in his state duties for the benefit of the friendly Chinese nation.

Kim Jong-un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said in a congratulatory message on Friday that Xi's election demonstrates the high degree of trust and support for Xi from the CPC, the Chinese government and people.

Kim expressed his confidence that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core, the Chinese people will make new victories in following and implementing the decisions and policies adopted at the 20th CPC National Congress.

It is believed that the traditional friendship and cooperative relationship between the DPRK and China will be consistently deepened and further developed in accordance with the common aspirations of the two parties and the two peoples as well as the requirement of the new era, he said.

Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, said in his message that Xi's election as president by unanimous vote fully demonstrates Xi has won the heartfelt support and absolute trust from the whole of the Party, the entire armed forces and the people of all ethnic groups across the country.

He expressed his confidence that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core, the Chinese people will make new achievements in comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization, implementing the new development philosophy and promoting high-quality development.

The Chinese people will make constant progress in promoting the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, realizing the second centenary goal as scheduled and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, he added.

He also wished constant fruitful results to be made in the long-standing and stable comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries and the construction of the Laos-China community with a shared future.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni congratulated Xi's election, saying he is confident that with Xi's vision, wisdom and strong leadership, China will surely build itself into a modern socialist country as scheduled.

Other foreign leaders, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera and Comoros President Azali Assoumani, also congratulated Xi on his election as China's president on Friday.