BEIJING — Incumbent and former leaders of foreign countries and international organizations have sent a multitude of congratulatory messages to President Xi Jinping to convey their best wishes on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The following is an edited summary of some of these messages.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said he is deeply impressed by the historic achievements made by the PRC since it was founded 70 years ago. Both Greece and China have a long history and a splendid civilization, said the president, adding that people of the two countries trust each other, and their friendship grows stronger with time.

It is in the interests of both peoples to strengthen bilateral relations, Pavlopoulos said, wishing China prosperity and the Chinese people happy life and good health.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the Chinese people embarked on a great journey toward profound changes on Oct 1, 1949. Today, China stands out as one of the world's great countries, he said.

The great Chinese people will surely realize the grand goal of developing China into a great modern socialist country which is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful, Maduro said.

The Venezuelan side will respond actively to the China-proposed vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and continue to work with the Chinese people to construct a multi-polarized world, he added.

Governor-General of Jamaica Patrick Allen said the diligent and wise Chinese people have scored remarkable achievements in national development over the last 70 years and China has become a major leader of the world.

Jamaica stands ready to continue to beef up the friendly partnership forged by the two countries, he added.

President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo said the founding of the PRC was of historical significance and it put the Chinese society on a path toward prosperity and modernization.

The Panama government holds strong aspirations to advance ties with China, he said, adding that he believes China-Panama ties will absolutely become closer and more important.

Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization Francis Gurry said in a message that China has made tremendous progress in the field of intellectual property in the past 70 years and his organization highly appreciates China's support for multilateralism.

He said he looks forward to the Chinese people making more outstanding achievements on the path of realizing prosperity and development in the future.

President of the New Development Bank Kundapur Vaman Kamath said that never in human history has a country lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in such a short period of time and led them onto a path of sustainable development.

China has provided other developing countries with rich experience in development, the bank chief said.

Kamath said his bank appreciates China's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and looks forward to deepening cooperation with China.

Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Inger Andersen said that China attaches great importance to ecological and environmental protection and is actively building an ecological civilization.

She said she believes that the world needs such a concept of environmental protection.

The UNEP appreciates China's important role in international affairs and multilateral cooperation, she added.

Former US President Jimmy Carter said he and his wife Rosalynn wish Xi great success in leading China and wish China "every achievement in its domestic harmony and prosperity and in its contributions to global peace and development."