BEIJING - US President Barack Obama has sent a message to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, acknowledging Hu's contribution to relations between the two countries.

In his message, sent Thursday, Obama said he prized the concerted efforts he made with Hu to build a cooperative US-China partnership and promote the friendship between the two peoples.

In the coming years, he would remain committed to advancing US-China relations and building a cooperative partnership, which was conducive to the welfare of the two peoples and would help facilitate regional and global peace and prosperity, the message read.