Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I would like to congratulate the People’s Republic of China as you celebrate the 66th anniversary of your nation’s founding on October 1.

"The people of the United States and the people of China enjoy a warm friendship, strengthened by work together to overcome some of the toughest challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

"Over the last year, including during the State Visit of President Xi last week, we have shown how much we can accomplish through cooperation.

"To bring our people closer, we’ve made it easier for our citizens to visit each other. To make the world safer and more secure, we're working to stem nuclear weapons proliferation. And to make the Earth safer for our children and grandchildren, we've made progress together in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.

"All the major challenges facing the world can benefit from the cooperation of the United States and China, and we look forward to continuing to build on our progress.

"We wish the people of China a joyous celebration, and peace and prosperity over the coming year."