US vows deeper ties with China after 60 years of communist rule

WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday congratulated China on the 60th anniversary of communist rule, vowing to continue deepening US ties with the increasingly powerful nation.

"I would like to extend warm wishes and congratulations to the People's Republic of China on the 60th anniversary of its founding on October 1," Clinton said in a statement released by her staff.

"In the last 30 years, China has undergone an extraordinary economic transformation, lifting millions of people out of poverty. This is truly an historic accomplishment," she added.

Clinton, who recalled it is also the 30th year of US diplomatic ties with the communist government in Beijing, vowed to pursue efforts by President Barack Obama's administration to build stronger ties.

"We are committed to building a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship that reflects the deepening ties between our two countries and enhances the security and prosperity of all our people," she said.

Given China's growing international clout, Washington and Beijing have forged a strategic dialogue focused on economic and political issues as well as counterterrorism.

In another sign of its growing importance, China was one of the four countries Clinton visited in February on her first overseas trip as secretary of state.

In Beijing on February 22, she called on Chinese authorities to continue buying US Treasuries, saying it would help jumpstart the flagging US economy and stimulate imports of Chinese goods.