Bigger and better. That is the vision for China Daily next year and in 2008 as the country counts down to the Beijing Olympics.

"We have both the will and the resources to be more innovative and more successful," Zhu Ling, editor-in-chief of China Daily, said yesterday at a reception to mark the 25th anniversary of the only national English-language newspaper in the country.

More than 400 government officials, business leaders, diplomats and journalists attended the event.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, said in his message of congratulations that he hopes China Daily becomes an influential newspaper and a premier source of information about the country for international readers.

Cai Wu, minister of the State Council Information Office, hailed "Chinese people publishing an English-language newspaper."

He urged the newspaper to ensure that information from China a country forever changing for the better is delivered to the rest of the world more efficiently and rapidly.

He said he hopes that everyone at China Daily takes the day as a fresh starting point to do a better job and "report on the peaceful development of our great country."

Leaders of other countries and international organizations also sent their best wishes.

Source: China Daily