Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will pay an official visit to China from January 14 to 17 at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Monday.

At a regular news briefing, spokeswoman Mao Ning said this visit marked the first trip to China by a Canadian Prime Minister in eight years and that the Chinese side placed great emphasis on it.

President Xi Jinping will meet with Carney to provide new strategic guidance for further improving and developing China-Canada relations, said Mao.

Li and National People's Congress Standing Committee chairman Zhao Leji will hold separate talks and meetings with the Canadian leader to conduct comprehensive and in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual interest.

"The sound and stable development of China-Canada relations serves the common interests of both countries and their peoples, and also contributes to world peace, stability, development and prosperity," Mao noted.

China looks forward to taking this visit as an opportunity to enhance dialogue and communication, increase political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, properly manage differences, address each other's concerns and consolidate the momentum of improvement in China-Canada relations to bring greater benefit for the two peoples, she said. (Xinhua)