China's first lady Peng Liyuan sent a message to giant panda cub Bei Bei in Washington National Zoo to wish him a healthy and happy childhood on his first birthday.

She added: "I would also like to say a big thank you to the staff of the National Zoo for taking good care of Bei Bei and to all American friends who love and cherish pandas.""As Bei Bei's first birthday draws near, I am sending greetings from China, the home country of pandas half a world away," Peng said in a statement. "The giant panda is China's national treasure. Bei Bei's birth is the fruit of collaboration between China and the United States and a strong symbol of our friendship."

Peng recalled her visit to the zoo last September with US first lady Michelle Obama where they jointly named Bei Bei, which means "precious treasure" in Chinese.

Peng was in town accompanying her husband, President Xi Jinping, who was making his first state visit to the US.

"Time flies! Now, Bei Bei is 1 year old. From the other side of the Pacific, together with all Chinese who love Bei Bei, I wish him a healthy and happy childhood," she said in her message.

Michelle Obama also celebrated Bei Bei's birthday.

"Today we celebrate the

@NationalZoo's 'precious treasure' as he turns 1 year old. Happy birthday, Bei Bei!" Michelle tweeted.

For the cub's first birthday, officials from the zoo and the Chinese Embassy in the US threw a big Zhuazhou party on Saturday.

Zhuazhou is a traditional ceremony in China for families and relatives to observe a 1-year-old baby's choice from a number of symbolic objects so as to foretell something about the baby's future.

On Saturday, three posters with painted symbols — peaches for long life, bamboo for a green habitat and a Chinese red knot for good luck and friendship — were hung on bamboo branches in Bei Bei's yard. With the help of mother Mei Xiang and amid hearty laughter from hundreds of visitors, Bei Bei picked "good luck and friendship" as his first choice.

"He is so cute and funny. Everybody loves pandas. They are the best animals in the zoo," said Courtney Smith, a zoo volunteer for the past 10 years.

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