On October 6, 2009, Chinese President Hu Jintao exchanged messages of congratulation with his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Solyom, Slovakian counterpart Ivan Gasparovic and Polish counterpart Jaroslaw Kaczynski to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their countries.

In the message to Solyom, Hu said the past 60 years have witnessed tremendous development of China-Hungary relations. In 2004, the two countries established a friendly partnership of cooperation, which defined a new target and direction of development for the bilateral ties in the new century, Hu said. The Chinese government has attached great importance to the China-Hungary relations and respects Hungary's path of development chosen by its people on the basis of their country's reality, he added. Hu noted that China is willing to promote a healthy, steady and in-depth development of the friendly cooperative partnership between the two countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

In the message to his Slovakian counterpart Gasparovic, Hu said China and Slovakia have respected and trusted each other and conducted candid cooperation in the past 60 years. The bilateral ties have entered a new stage of development after Slovakia became an independent nation in 1993, he added. Speaking on his successful visit to Slovakia in June, Hu said that he and Gasparovic have mapped out the future of the relations between the two countries and created a broader prospect for the bilateral ties. China is ready to join hands with Slovakia to promote the friendly cooperative relations between the two countries, Hu said.

The Chinese president said in his message to Polish President Kaczynski that during the past 60 years, the friendship between the two peoples has remained unchanged despite huge changes in international situation. Maintaining and developing the friendly cooperation between the two countries, on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and noninterference in each other's internal affairs, serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples, Hu said. China highly values the traditional friendship between China and Poland and expects to enhance the friendly cooperative partnership in an all-round manner by taking the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, he added.

For his part, President Solyom said the traditional friendship between China and Hungary has been strengthened and the mutually beneficial cooperation has been deepened in all fields since they forged the diplomatic ties 60 years ago. President Hu's successful visit to Hungary in 2004 has laid a solid foundation for the future development of the bilateral ties, said Solyom, adding that he hoped to work with President Hu to further enhance the China-Hungary relations for the benefit of the two countries and the two peoples.

Gasparovic said he wanted to share the joy with President Hu at the historic moment of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties, noting that the two nations had reached a lot of important consensus during Hu's visit to Slovakia four months ago. He also expressed willingness to make joint efforts with President Hu on pushing forward bilateral ties.

Kaczynski said during the past 60 years bilateral contacts have never ceased and the mutually beneficial cooperation has made constant progress despite changes in the two countries and in international situation, which he said should be cherished most. He also hoped that the friendly cooperative partnership between Poland and China will be developed in an all-round way on the basis of friendship and mutual benefit.