Liu Yunshan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee's Publicity Department, delivers a speech to celebrate China Daily's 30th anniversary at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 31.[China Daily]

China's English language newspaper China Daily celebrated its 30th birthday in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, sent a letter of congratulations to China Daily and hailed the paper's role in bridging China and the world.

The celebrating symposium was attended by Liu Yunshan, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Several other State and Party leaders were present at the symposium, including Dai Bingguo, State Councilor, Uyunqimg, vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), and Chen Kuiyuan, vice-chairman of the national committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Li said the paper, founded on June 1, 1981, has been playing a key role in introducing China to the world and in reporting international events during the past 30 years, making it an important window for China to know the world and the world to understand China.

As the country's first national English language newspaper, China Daily has been playing a vital role in facilitating foreign countries' need for information about China and in expressing the country's voice in the international community.

Li expressed his hope in the letter that he hopes the paper can continue to strengthen its work in international news reports and contribute to China's peaceful development during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period.

Wang Chen, minister of the State Council Information Office, delivers a speech to celebrate China Daily's 30th anniversary at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 31.[Photo/China Daily]

Liu Yunshan also acknowledged China Daily's role in promoting mutual understanding and friendship among nations and peoples around the world.

"As an important media group in China, China Daily shoulders an even more significant responsibility and also needs to continue its endeavor in connecting China and the world in communication and exchange as a bridge," said Liu.

Boasting a global circulation of almost 500,000 today, China Daily is quoted most among China's newspapers by foreign media.

Over the past 30 years, China Daily has developed into a strong all-media group with 12 print publications, a national portal website with eight sub-websites, around-the-clock news and information services on three mobile platforms and 14 applications and products on wireless terminals.