In break from tradition, China receives no formal statement from US on National Day
Leaders or senior officials from Europe sent congratulatory messages to China, as did the leaders of Russia and North Korea
The US State Department has traditionally congratulated China before the country’s National Day, as it does with many nations with which it has diplomatic ties. It did so on September 29 last year and on September 30 in 2022.
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This year, the department sent out congratulatory messages to Nigeria and Cyprus, which both celebrated independence on October 1, and to Guinea for its national celebration on October 2.
The State Department did not mention the subject during its daily press briefing on Tuesday, which centred on US responses to Iran’s missile attacks on Israel.
Leaders or senior officials from Europe, including Germany, Italy and the European Union, sent congratulatory messages to China, as did Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The department eventually posted a congratulatory message from Secretary of State Antony Blinken on its website at 8am, Beijing time, on Thursday, October 3.
“As the United States works with the international community to address serious obstacles the world faces today, we are committed to responsibly managing our bilateral relationship with the PRC and will maintain open lines of communication,” Blinken said.
