Fiji's prime minister to visit China

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka will pay an official visit to China from Aug. 12 to 21, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced Friday.

Mao made the remarks when asked to share more information and China's expectation for the visit.

Mao said that leaders of the two countries will have in-depth exchanges of views on China-Fiji relations and important issues of mutual interest during the visit.

Noting China has received several leaders of Pacific Island countries this year, Mao said that Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is yet another Pacific Island country leader set to visit China at invitation, which speaks to the close relations between China and the South Pacific region.

Fiji is the first Pacific Island country to have established diplomatic ties with China, Mao said that over the 49 years of diplomatic ties, China-Fiji relations have continued to make new progress, with fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation in various areas, bringing benefit to the two peoples.

"Through this visit, China hopes to take our comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development to a new level and work with Fiji to build an even closer community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries," said Mao.