(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-08 15:55

BEIJING - Russia's new President, Dmitry Medvedev, will pay a state visit to China from May 23 to 24, at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and former president Vladimir Putin shake hands during an inauguration ceremony in Moscow's Kremlinthrone room May 7, 2008. [Agencies] For more photos

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the announcement at a regular press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Qin said that Hu and other Chinese leaders would meet with Medvedev, but the exact itinerary was still the subject of close consultation.

Qin said that China and its people attached great importance to the visit, expressing the hope that the two sides, through the visit, could further intensify higher-level exchanges, expand mutual trust and cement cooperation in various fields to raise the China-Russia partnership of strategic coordination to a higher level in a new international context.

"We have great expectations for President Medvedev's visit," Qin added.

Medvedev was sworn in on Wednesday, succeeding Vladimir Putin two months after he swept the country's presidential election.