Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday extended congratulations to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Russia's national day.

In his message sent to Putin, Hu, who just ended a two-day visit in Budapest, said that on the occasion of the Russian Federation's national day, he, on behalf of the Chinese people and in his own name, congratulated Putin and the Russian people on the national day and expressed his good wishes for Russia.

In recent years, he said, Russia has realized social stability, fast economic growth and apparent improvement of people's life. As a friendly neighbor and strategic cooperative partner, China hopes that Russia will make greater progress in strengthening the country and enriching the people.

Now the partnership of strategic cooperation between the two nations is showing a good momentum of energetic development. Top-level contacts are intensifying, the pragmatic cooperation in various fields is continuously moving forward and consultation and coordination in international and regional affairs are becoming more active, Hu noted.

"I believe that in the spirit of the 'China-Russia Treaty on Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation,' the Chinese-Russian partnership of strategic cooperation will further develop through the two parties' joint efforts and contribute more to regional and global peace and stability as well as common development in the world," Hu added.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2004)