Jordan's King Abdullah to pay week-long visit to China

Jordan's King Abdullah will pay a week-long visit to China, Beijing announced on Monday.

Abdullah will begin the trip on Tuesday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Besides meeting Xi, the Jordanian king will also visit Shanghai and Shenzhen, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

This will be Abdullah's ninth visit to China since being enthroned in 1999.

Lin said Xi and Abdullah will exchange opinions on bilateral, regional and international issues, and the visit aims to "make positive contributions to regional peace and stability."

Abdullah will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang as well as Chinese top lawmaker Zhao Leji. His visit will conclude on Aug. 24.

China and Jordon established diplomatic ties in 1977 and bilateral trade has grown to $6.7 billion, with the world's second-largest economy becoming top trading partner of the Middle Eastern nation last year.

"We look forward to elevating Jordan's economic partnership with China to broader and more diversified levels in a way that serves our shared interests and supports sustainable development in both countries," Jordanian Investment Minister Tareq Abu Ghazaleh Abu Ghazaleh told Xinhua news agency earlier this month.

Separately, Beijing said Chilean Foreign Minister Francisco Perez Mackenna will pay an official visit to China from Aug. 18-22.