Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, congratulated the successful convention of the 16th CPC National Congress as well as Hu's election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Kim said the 16th National Congress of the CPC was a historic meeting which set a "grandiose goal" of achieving prosperity for the Chinese nation in the 21st century.

The DPRK leader said he believed that the traditional DPRK-China friendship would continue to grow in line with the requirements of the present times and mutual interests of both nations.

Nong Duc Manh, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, said the successful convention of the 16th CPC National Congress was an important political event for the CPC, China and the Chinese people.

He said the traditional friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and China has been further consolidated and developed over the past years, on the basis of the principles of long-term stability, orientation towards the future, neighborly friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

Fidel Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, reiterated in his message that Cuba would continue to develop and strengthen the already solid and friendly cooperative relationship between the two parties.

He said he believed that under Hu's leadership, the CPC, in the face of the fast changing international situation, could successfully complete all kinds of complex and formidable tasks.

Khamtay Siphandone, president of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, said the Chinese people would achieve all objectives set by the 16th National Congress and build China into a modernized socialist country in the 21st century under the new leadership, thereby contributing more to the peace, stability, cooperation and growth of the Asia-Pacific region and the whole world.

He hoped the traditional friendship and overall cooperation between the two parties, two countries and two peoples would continue to improve to the benefit of both peoples.

(China Daily November 18, 2002)