BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Tupou VI of the Kingdom of Tonga will pay a state visit to China from Nov. 21 to 27, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

At a regular press briefing, spokesperson Mao Ning said that the king's state visit to China, his first in seven years, holds great significance for advancing bilateral relations.

The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of mutual concern during the visit, Mao said.

Noting Tonga is a good friend and good partner of China in the Pacific Island region, Mao said that China highly values its relations with Tonga, and stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to work with Tonga to scale new heights in bilateral relations. ■