U.S. President Joe Biden sent out his greetings at the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Tuesday.

The official account of the 46th president of the United States tweeted that Biden and his wife Jill "got to celebrate Lunar New Year with White House Staff" on Monday, while attaching a group photo of them posing under red lanterns hanging in a hall.

"We send our warmest greetings to everyone celebrating – and we wish you peace, prosperity, and health in the year ahead," Biden said.

In a separate tweet on his verified account, Biden wrote he is "grateful for the invaluable contributions the AAPI community has made to our society, economy, and culture," referring to Asian Americans and Pacific islanders.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris posted a short video on Tuesday to mark the Lunar New Year.

"For people all over the world and here at home, Lunar New Year is a time of joy, the joy of being together with family and friends," Harris said.

"Lunar New Year is a time of celebration, the celebration of culture and of the warmth and love of community," she continued. "And it is a time of hope, the hope of a new year and a new beginning."

This Lunar New Year has ushered in the Year of the Tiger, a Chinese zodiac animal that Harris described in the video as "the symbol of strength, confidence, and courage."

"Happy Lunar New Year," she said. "I wish you all happiness, health, and prosperity. Take care."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that he sends "best wishes to those in the United States and around the world celebrating the Lunar New Year."

"May the Year of the Tiger bring opportunity, success, and good health to all," Blinken added in a news release.

The Lunar New Year, commonly known as the Spring Festival in China, is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar.

It is the most important festival in China and is also celebrated in many parts of the world, including the United States.

The Year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac, runs from February 1, 2022, to January 21, 2023.

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World leaders extend Chinese New Year greetings

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(With input from Xinhua)