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BEIJING -- Political party leaders, government officials and lawmakers worldwide have congratulated the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and General Secretary Xi Jinping of the committee on the convening of the 20th CPC National Congress.

The 20th CPC National Congress is of paramount importance for China and the whole world, said Pierre Laurent, president of the National Council of the French Communist Party and vice president of the French Senate.

As the human race is faced with a host of challenges, signals of development, peace and sharing delivered by the congress are highly expected, Laurent said.

Calling China a trustworthy friend and partner of Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmao, leader of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction party and former president of Timor-Leste, expressed his appreciation for China's support for developing countries.

The 20th CPC National Congress came at a critical moment when China is striding forward on a new journey toward development and prosperity, said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistani foreign minister, who expressed his belief that the congress will inject momentum into China's endeavor to achieve its second centenary goal.

The 20th CPC National Congress has a milestone significance for the CPC, China and the Chinese people as it will draw a new blueprint for a brighter future of the country, and bring the country and the people into a new stage of progress and development, said Gebran Bassil, president of the Free Patriotic Movement in Lebanon.

The 20th CPC National Congress is an event of great historic significance and major international influence, said Ciro Nogueira Lima Filho, president of Brazil's Progressistas Party and chief of staff of the Brazilian presidency.

Brazil cherishes its relations with China, and expects to deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation, so as to better serve the interests of the people of the two countries, he said.

Those also sending congratulatory messages include:

Carlos Lupi, president of the Democratic Labour Party of Brazil;

Guillermo Teillier, president of the Communist Party of Chile;

Gilbert Violeta, president of Peru's Contigo party;

Keiko Fujimori, president of the Popular Force party of Peru;

Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party;

Oleg Gaidukevich, chairman of The Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus;

Waldemar Pawlak, chairman of the Supreme Council of the Polish People's Party;

Liisa Taskinen, chairperson of the Communist Party of Finland;

Elizabeth Rowley, leader of the Communist Party of Canada;

Ahmed Bahaa El-Din Shaaban, secretary-general of the Egyptian Socialist Party;

Miguel Angel Sanchez Vasquez, general secretary of the Colombian Liberal Party;

Winston Alarcon, general secretary of the Communist Party of Ecuador;

Learrie Barry, general secretary of the National Democratic Congress of Grenada;

Ruben de Leon Sanchez, general secretary of the Democratic Revolutionary Party of Panama;

Henrik Stamer Hedin, chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark (DKP), and Martin Minka Jensen, International Secretary of the DKP;

Andy Brooks, general secretary of the New Communist Party of Britain;

Eugene McCartan, general secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland;

Marco Rizzo, general secretary of the Communist Party (Italy);

Ambrose George, deputy leader of the Dominica Labour Party;

Wulf Gallert, Kathrin Vogler, presidents of the International Committee of the Left of Germany;

Manu Pineda, member of The Left in the European Parliament, secretary of international relations of the Communist Party of Spain;

Veronica Perici Calascione, international secretary, Nationalist Party of Malta;

Lydia Mikheeva, secretary of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation;

George Maggie Angene, minister of Cultural Development of the Cook Islands;

Sylvia Lucas, deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces of the South African parliament;

Jaime Quintana, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate of the Republic of Chile;

Carmen Hertz, president of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile;

Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of the Soka Gakkai;

Kim Han-kyu, chairman of the 21st Century ROK-China Exchange Association;

Chea Munyrith, president of the Cambodian Chinese Evolution Researcher Association;

Ikram Hassan, chairman of Maldives-China Parliamentary Friendship Group;

Mayantha Yaswanth Dissanayake, youth leader, Samagi Jana Balawegaya of Sri Lanka;

Xu Erming, chairman of Siam Think Tank of Thailand;

Solly Phetoe, general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, among others.