Afghan foreign minister to visit China

Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani will visit China from Jan 25 to Jan 28, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei announced on Wednesday.

Both countries "attach great importance" to the official visit, Rabbani's first to China as Afghan foreign minister, and the first high-level visit between China and Afghanistan this year, Hong said.

Chinese leaders will meet Rabbani, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who invited Rabbani, will discuss various issues with his Afghan counterpart, Hong said.

The China-Afghan relationship "has kept going forward", said Hong.

The two countries last year celebrated the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Afghanistan Friendly Cooperation.

"We hope the visit will help implement the consensus between the two countries' leaders, plan the development of this year's bilateral relationship, push bilateral cooperation in economic and trade, security, culture and international and regional affairs, and strengthen the two countries' strategic partnership," said Hong.