The news was made public by the Chinese foreign ministry in a statement published on its website on Saturday evening.

The ministry reported the message in a question-and-answer format, noting that it was a response to media questions.

“President Joe Biden recently sent a message of congratulations to President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,” the official English-language statement said.

“In the message, President Biden noted that ‘on behalf of the people of the United States, I send our congratulations to you and the people of the People’s Republic of China as you celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding. The American people and I convey our best wishes to the people of the People’s Republic of China’.”

The statement did not specify when the message was sent and in what format.