China congratulates John Kerry on nomination

China on Monday congratulated U.S. Senator John Kerry on his nomination as secretary of state.

At a daily press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, "China is ready to work with the U.S. side to push forward the Sino-U.S. cooperative partnership to score more progress."

Hua also voiced China's willingness to work with the United States and build a new type of relationship between major countries.

U.S. President Barack Obama announced the nomination on Dec. 21.

Kerry, the current chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will succeed Hillary Clinton, the current occupant of the State Department. She will leave at the start of Obama's second term in January.