In his letter, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said the Chinese people, under the leadership of the CPC, have improved their living standards, consolidated China's international status, and have scored remarkable achievements in the causes of national rejuvenation and reunification, by adhering to the policy of economic reform and opening up.

He said that Ukraine and China are friendly countries, and the two sides share identical views and positions on many international issues.

He expressed the belief that both sides will strive to push forward effective cooperation between them so as to make it more fruitful and bring benefits to the peoples of the two nations.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Robert Woonton said in his letter: "Under your brilliant leadership, the People's Republic of China has been playing an increasingly important role in promoting international peace and security."

He said that since Cook Islands and China established diplomatic relations in 1997, bilateral relations have developed steadily in wide-ranging fields, which is in the interests of the two countries.

The basis for developing relations between the two countries is that Cook Islands adheres to the one-China policy, which is embodied in the development of bilateral relations and will be strictly abided by in the future, he added.

Meanwhile, a number of friendly parties and their leaders in the world, including those from Uruguay, Brazil, Ukraine, Malta, Spain, Portugal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, Russia, Cambodia, Tanzania, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Colombia, Myanmar, Syria, Cote d'Ivoire, Cape Verde, Uganda, Bulgaria and Germany, have also sent congratulatory messages to the CPC on the occasion of the convening of its 16th National Congress.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2002)