Countries worldwide on Thursday lauded the great strides China has made in the past six decades, as the nation celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the people's republic.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday congratulated China on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the people's republic, saying China had achieved "a historic accomplishment" by lifting millions of people out of poverty.

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

Koichi Takemasa, Japan's state secretary for foreign affairs, on Thursday praised the development of China and the international role it has played.

Takemasa said during a press conference that China had attained eye-catching development since it adopted the policy of reform and opening-up, and provided enormous opportunities for other countries in the world, including Japan.

In a 20-page special report entitled "Chinese economy: A herald to world multipolarization," Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei Shimbun) newspaper hailed China's economic development and its contributions to the world economy, saying the Chinese economy enjoyed broader scope for future development.

"Today's China is a major global political and economic actor that has achieved outstanding growth rates in the last few decades, lifting over half a billion people out of extreme poverty," Chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) Joseph Daul said in a message that appeared in the latest issue of the Parliament magazine.

"On this occasion, I would like to pay my respects to the Chinese people and to underline the importance the EPP group attaches to EU-China relations," Daul said, referring to China's National Day celebrations on Thursday.

He expressed the wish of the EPP, the largest party group within the European Parliament, for "a sincere, open and continuous dialogue not only on economic issues but also on a range of political issues and human rights."

The official Rodong Sinmun daily of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday spoke highly of China's achievements in the past 60 years, vowing to consolidate and develop the DPRK-China friendship.

It congratulated the Chinese people on their National Day in an article titled "the proud 60 years of struggle and strides," saying that the Chinese people had made magnificent achievements in all fields.

It said the Chinese people were making big strides forward in building a prosperous and powerful nation through their own efforts, adding that the DPRK people wished more progress for the country.

Speaking at a Chinese embassy reception marking the anniversary on Wednesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon congratulated the Chinese people on the achievements they had made over the past six decades.

"I would like to warmly congratulate the people of China on the eve of this 60th anniversary... Our Chinese friends have reason to be proud of their achievements," Cannon said.

"I am encouraged when I see China taking on an important role in multilateral economic forums such as the IMF, the G20, and regional development banks and in facing global challenges such as the A/H1N1 virus." he added.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday in a congratulatory message that China was now an influential power in the world, and had contributed greatly to the world's stability.

Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, in a special coverage, traced China's development since the 20th century and highlighted the country's accomplishment in the past 60 years and in the 30 years since China took up the policy of reform and opening up.

(Xinhua News Agency October 3, 2009)