China on Monday expressed "deep condolences" following the death of former US president Jimmy Carter, who died aged 100.

"He has long made important contributions to promoting the development of Sino-US relations and friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

"We express our deep condolences."

Carter normalised American relations with Beijing as Deng Xiaoping initiated the market reforms that led to unprecedented economic growth.

In the same year Deng -- often credited with China's "Reform and Opening" policy which led to its transformation -- met Carter in the United States.

Carter did not visit China during his presidency, but he made trips either side of his time in the White House.

The former president first travelled to China as a young naval officer in 1949.

He visited the country in 1981, shortly after leaving office, meeting Deng and then-premier Zhao Ziyang in Beijing in 1987 and returned to China in 1991.

Carter visited again in July 1997, including several days in a small village in the eastern province of Shandong. (AFP)