HARBIN, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent a congratulatory letter to honor the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the Daqing Oilfield, China's largest oil production base in northeastern Heilongjiang Province.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, extended sincere greetings to staff of the oilfield, those retired and their families on behalf of the CPC Central Committee.

China's oil workers and geologists found the oilfield after great hardship 60 years ago, opening a new chapter of historic significance in the country's oil exploration and development history, Xi said in the letter.

Xi said the outstanding contributions of the Daqing Oilfield have been engraved on the historical monument of the great motherland, and the spirits of Daqing and "iron man" have become important parts of the great national spirit of the Chinese nation.

The spirit of "iron man" was born from Wang Jinxi, a model worker of the oilfield who devoted his life to the development of the petroleum industry.

Xi expressed his hope that the oilfield would advance reform and innovation, promote high-quality development, and make new and greater contributions to the realization of the two centenary goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

The State Council also sent its congratulations, calling on the oilfield to continue to deepen reform, reduce costs and enhance efficiency, cultivate new growth drivers and strive for high-quality development.

Xi's letter and the State Council's message were read at a celebration meeting for the 60th anniversary of the oilfield's discovery held Thursday in Daqing.

The oilfield, discovered on Sept. 26, 1959, has produced nearly 2.39 billion tonnes of crude oil over the past 60 years.