Two former US Presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, have sent their best wishes to the Chinese government and people on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on Oct. 1.
They lauded China's incredible strides into the modern world, and called for continued cooperation between China and the United States in their respective congratulating notes to the Chinese Consul General in Houston, Texas.
"Barbara and I send our very best wishes as you celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China," the 41st
US President George H. W. Bush said in a congratulating letter dated Sept. 21 to Gao Yanping, Chinese consul general in Houston.
"The stride China has made in 60 years is nothing short of remarkable," he said.
Looking to the future, the former president, or the senior Bush, said that he "believes the Chinese leadership will continue to be committed to economic and political reforms."
In a separate letter, the 43rd US President George W. Bush said that, on this special occasion of the 60th National Day of the People's Republic of China, "we recognize our strong relationship rooted in common interests, shared challenges, and the common aspirations of humankind."
The junior Bush recalled his personal contact with the Chinese people during the past 30 years. "I first visited China more than 30 years ago, when my father was America's representative in Beijing," he wrote.
In the earlier 1970s, former US President Gerald Ford appointed the senior Bush to be Chief of the US Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China. The Bush family had lived in the Chinese capital for at least 14 months.
"In my many trips since, I have seen incredible progress as China has worked to open its economy and unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of its people," the junior Bush said, adding, "China is sprinting into the modern era."
The past 30 years saw the economies of China and the United States complement each other in a lot of aspects, resulting in the rapid expansion of win-win bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
At present, China and the United States are the second largest trading partners of each other, and China has been the fastest growing market for US exports for six years in a row.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2009)
