Egyptian president to visit China

BEIJING -- Egypt's President Mohamed Morsy will pay a state visit to China from August 28 to 30 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei announced on Wednesday.

This visit will be Morsy's first visit to China since he took office and China attaches great importance to the visit, Hong said, noting that Chinese leaders will hold talks and meetings with the Egyptian president to exchange views on bilateral ties, international and regional issues of common concern.

The two sides will sign a serious of cooperation documents during Morsy's visit, Hong said, adding he believes that the visit will further promote the development of bilateral friendly cooperative relations under the new situation.

Egypt was the first Arab country and the first African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, the spokesman said, stressing that bilateral ties have seen long-term healthy and stable development ever since.

The two countries have achieved significant friendly exchanges and cooperation in various fields, maintained close communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, and had good cooperation under the frameworks of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Hong said.

China is ready to work with Egypt to promote bilateral strategic cooperative relationship to a new level, said the spokesman.