Chinese President Hu Jintao has sent a congratulatory message to Russia's outgoing President Vladimir Putin for his election as chairman of the ruling United Russia party.

In his letter, Hu said he believed under the leadership of Putin, the United Russia party will play a bigger role in the lofty cause of achieving prosperity in Russia.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has maintained close friendly ties of cooperation with the United Russia party. The exchanges between the two parties strengthened mutual understanding and trust and enriched the meaning of strategic partnership between China and Russia over the past years, Hu said.

"The CPC is willing to further consolidate and deepen the friendly ties of cooperation with the United Russia party and to boost China-Russia relations for deep and all-round development on the basis of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," Hu said.

Putin was elected chairman of the United Russia in the party's congress Tuesday, which won a majority in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in December's elections.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2008)